In a bid to foster stronger inter-agency collaboration and deepen the integration of national identity management within Nigeria’s education sector, the Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Engr. (Dr) Abisoye Coker-Odusote, recently paid a high-level courtesy visit to the Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Hajiya Aisha Garba.
The strategic visit, which took place at the UBEC headquarters in Abuja, marks a critical step in strengthening institutional ties between NIMC and key stakeholders within the Ministry of Education. It aligns with the federal government’s broader agenda of promoting digital identity inclusion and ensuring that every Nigerian child is captured within the National Identity Database (NIDB) from an early age.
Speaking during the visit, Dr. Coker-Odusote underscored the importance of embedding identity management systems into the foundation of the country’s basic education framework. She noted that an early identity registration process will not only enhance planning and resource allocation across the education value chain, but also foster inclusion, improve access to public services, and boost national development indices.
“We recognize the vital role that UBEC plays in shaping the future of Nigerian children through basic education. By working together, we can ensure that identity registration becomes part of the educational journey of every Nigerian child, starting from the earliest stages,” the NIMC CEO stated.
In her response, Hajiya Aisha Garba expressed appreciation for the initiative and reaffirmed UBEC’s commitment to supporting the NIMC’s vision of a fully integrated national identity ecosystem. She emphasized the Commission’s readiness to collaborate on programs that will promote digital inclusion, especially in rural and underserved communities.
She further noted that the partnership could drive innovation in education delivery, improve student data management, and pave the way for targeted interventions that directly benefit learners across Nigeria.
Both leaders acknowledged the potential of a harmonized data system in transforming not just education but also national planning, healthcare, and social security. They also agreed to set up a joint technical team to explore actionable frameworks for collaboration and to begin the process of integrating identity enrollment into school enrollment exercises nationwide.
The visit is one in a series of strategic engagements by the NIMC under the leadership of Dr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, aimed at expanding the reach of Nigeria’s digital identity infrastructure and enhancing stakeholder synergy across critical sectors of the economy.
