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The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Proximaforte Ltd, Ayotunde Bally, has called on the Federal Government to establish a National Residents Registration Agency (NRRA) to complement existing identity systems and improve security, housing management and national planning.
Bally made the proposal while commenting on recent public discussions following events in Oyo State, which have raised concerns about landlords’ responsibilities in verifying the identities of tenants.
According to him, while landlords should carry out reasonable background checks on prospective tenants, the larger challenge is the absence of a comprehensive system that tracks residency and internal migration across the country.
He noted that existing identification platforms, including the National Identification Number (NIN), Bank Verification Number (BVN), voter registration, international passports and driver’s licences, establish individuals’ identities but do not provide up-to-date information on where people live, work or relocate.
Bally proposed that the NRRA should operate as a residency database linked to existing NIN records rather than replacing current identity systems.
He said the proposed agency would maintain updated records of residents’ addresses, workplaces and schools, with landlords, employers and residents expected to update information whenever changes occur.
According to him, such a database would enable landlords to verify tenants’ residency history and employment status before renting out properties, while providing government agencies with data for planning in areas such as housing, healthcare, education, transportation and social intervention programmes.
He also argued that security agencies would benefit from improved tracking of residency records, making it more difficult for criminal suspects to evade detection by moving between communities.
Bally further recommended that tenancy registration should be made mandatory nationwide through a digital system linked to residents’ identification records.
He added that verified tenancy and rent payment histories could strengthen Nigeria’s credit system by providing lenders with additional information for assessing borrowers, thereby improving access to credit for individuals with consistent payment records.
The Proximaforte CEO, however, stressed that any residency registration system should include safeguards to protect citizens’ privacy, with access to personal information restricted to authorised purposes.
He maintained that the proposed agency would address gaps in Nigeria’s identity management framework and support improvements in security, public service delivery and economic planning.
