The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has said only a part of the N9.5 bn provided for in the recently signed 2024 budget is for infrastructure.

The commission noted that contrary to the notion that the whole amount would go into construction, a breakdown of the capital expenditure shows that the N9.5 billion has dual mandates.

According to the Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the commission, Abisoye Coker-Odusote, the N9.5 bn is from a Multilateral/Bilateral project-tied loan, which would only be accessed on the condition that NIMC is given a loan or grant from funding partners.

She noted that the proviso requires a partial funding match from the Federal Government, stressing that if no such loan or grant is received, those funds will not be released.

The DG/CEO, who made the clarification through her Technical Assistant on Media and Communications, Ayodele Babalola, pointed out that although the fund appears under the broad heading of “Construction/Provision of Fixed Assets”, it was actually itemised under the sub-heading, “Construction/Provision of Infrastructure.”

He stated: “This is a general heading used to group different types of capital expenditure. In NIMC’s case, it would be for infrastructure, not construction.

"The next page (501) has the breakdown for the capital expenditure and shows that the N9.5 bn is from a Multilateral / Bilateral Project Tied Loan.

"It could only be accessed in the event that NIMC is awarded a loan or grant from funding partners that would require a partial funding match from the FG. If no such loan or grant is received, these funds will not be released.”

According to Babalola, the clarification becomes necessary because some national newspapers had reported that N9.57 bn was budgeted for construction purposes in the 2024 Appropriation Bill.

He disclosed that so far NIMC under the watch of incumbent DG, Coker-Odusote, has witnessed a new vista of organisational reliability, particularly through commitment to the commission’s mission and mandate.

Babalola noted that the commission is prioritising data security by introducing robust measures to fortify the protection of citizens’ sensitive information through the adoption of cutting-edge encryption technologies and the establishment of a dedicated cybersecurity team.