Business
NIMC Tasks FG On e-ID
The National Identity
Management Commission (NIMC) has urged the Federal Government to approve the use of the new national electronic identity card (e-ID) as a valid travel document for Nigerians going outside the country.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Friday by the Head, Card Management Services of NIMC, Mr. Tunji Durodola said the new National e-ID card is a bonafide Machine Readable Travel Document (MRTD) recognised by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
He said that one of the 13 applets imbedded in the JGOP Chip on the ID Card has similar content usually found in Nigeria’s e-passport and is known as ICAO Applet, stressing that it could therefore easily be used as a travel document subject to approval of the international community.
He said for the National e-ID card to be recognised by other countries for cross border travels its usage must be included in a bilateral agreement among countries that partner with Nigeria and the agreement must be recongised by the countries immigration and border control agencies and such countries must have inspection devices that can read the cards which most nations currently have.
Durodola said the features present in the current e-ID card cannot stop it from being deployed for other travelling purposes by Nigerians as alternative to the international passport.
He called for cooperation among the Aviation Ministry, Foreign Affairs and the Immigration Service to ensure that the e-ID work as alternative international passport usage by Nigerians, stressing that the identity management commission is ever confident that with time, the international community will build confidence in the authenticity of the card and the inbuilt robust security in the card.