President Goodluck Jonathan has
formally launched a national electronic
identity card, which all Nigerians will
have to have by 2019 if they want to
vote.
He received the first biometric card,
which can also be used to make
electronic payments.
MasterCard is providing the prepaid
payment element and it hopes millions
of Nigerians without bank accounts will
now gain access to financial services.
An attempt to introduce national ID
cards in Nigeria 10 years ago failed.
Analysts blame corruption for its failure,
and say the same problems may stymie
the new e-ID scheme.
“The card is not only a means of
certifying your identity, but also a
personal database repository and
payment card, all in your pocket,”
President Jonathan said at the launch in
the capital, Abuja.
“I have taken keen interest in this
project, primarily because of the
pervasive impact it can have on every
facet of the socio-economic fabric of our
dear nation,” he said.
According to Nigeria’s central bank,
about 30 per cent of the country’s 167
million inhabitants have access to bank
accounts, Bloomberg news agency
reports.
MasterCard said combining an identity
card with a payment card for those aged
16 and over was a significant move.
“It breaks down one of the most
significant barriers to financial inclusion
– proof of identity,” MasterCard’s Daniel
Monehin said in a statement.
The new cards show a person’s
photograph, name, age and unique ID
number – and 10 fingerprints and an iris
are scanned during enrolment.
These details are intended to ensure
that there are no duplicates on the
system.
During the pilot phase, which began
registering names last October, 13
million MasterCard-branded ID cards
will be issued.
There are enrolment centres in all 36
states and there is no fee to get the
card, though people will be charged in
the event that it needs to be replaced.
The Nigerian Identity Management
Commission, which is behind the rollout,
is trying to integrate several
government databases including those
for driving licences, voter registration,
health insurance, taxes and pensions.


www.punchng.com/news/jonathan-inaugurates-new-electronic-identity-card/

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