Buhari to Govt agencies: Harmonise biometric data of Nigerians

President Muhammadu Buhari has told government agencies to harmonise collection and use of biometric data of Nigerians they have collected rather than replicating their efforts.

The President said this on Monday in Abuja in what again reflect position of experts and analysts that have underscored the need for harmonised data of biometric information of Nigerians collected by different government agencies.

Buhari said this after receiving a briefing on the activities of the National Population Commission from the Chairman, Eze Duru Iheoma (SAN), who led other National Commissioners to the Presidential Villa, according to an official State House statement.

“The visiting NPC team came to inform the President that a planned national population census would cost Nigeria about N273 billion, whilst about N10 billion of the amount would be required at the instance.”

Mr. Godwin Emefiele, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), undergoing a biometric verification exercise

The visiting NPC team came to inform the President that a planned national population census would cost Nigeria about N273 billion, whilst about N10 billion of the amount would be required at the instance.

The President expressed surprise that each agency has to gather its own biometric data when such data could easily be shared.

“It will be more cost – effective, if you work together. It helps even the credibility of the election process as Nigerians of voting age can be identified easily,” the President Buhari told the visiting NPC team.

According to the President, “the government organizations which currently collect biometric data include: the National Population Commission, National Identity Management Commission, Federal Road Safety Commission and Independent National Electoral Commission, among others.”

He added that all the agencies should work collaboratively, instead of going in different directions stressing that adequate data is necessary for planning and development in any country.

According to the President, “the government organizations which currently collect biometric data include: the National Population Commission, National Identity Management Commission, Federal Road Safety Commission and Independent National Electoral Commission, among others.” He added that all the agencies should work collaboratively, instead of going in different directions stressing that adequate data is necessary for planning and development in any country.

President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria

Earlier in his remarks, the Chairman of the National Population Commission, Eze Duru Iheoma briefed the President on what will be required for the commission to conduct a national census next year which will be 10 years after the last exercise as stipulated by the United Nations.

He informed that a national population census would cost about N273 billion, whilst about N10 billion of the amount would be required at the instance.

He told the President that a biometric-based census is being proposed because it will eliminate multiple respondents and ghost respondents, while making the outcome easy to audit.