Follow Us on Google
From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Thursday said the Federal Government will commence the full implementation of the tokenization solution on January 1, 2022.
The NIN Tokenization solution provides a coded representation (“pseudonymization”) of the actual NIN for which another party verifying the identity of the registered person cannot retain and use in a way that puts the individual’s data privacy at risk.
It is to ensure the privacy of personal identifiable information of individuals during verification transactions and reduce incidences of illegal retrieval, usage, transfer, and storage of NIN.
The Director General and Chief Executive Officer of NIMC, Mr. Aliyu Abubakar Aziz made the disclosure in Abuja at a stakeholder workshop on tokenization solution.
According to him, NIMC has put in place a mechanism for authenticating and verifying the NIN through the NIN Verification Service (NVS).
He explained that the NVS is a unique solution that provides electronic, online, real-time verification by utilizing certain parameters to request for verification for the purpose of authenticating and verifying a registered person. The NVS supports individuals, agencies and organizations in the implementation of the requirement for the mandatory use of the NIN.
“The NIN Tokenization solution is a feature of the NVS which is aimed at providing enhanced data protection for the personal information of persons registered into the NIDB and issued a NIN. The resources for the protection of this sensitive data includes the Improved NIN Slip, USerID, MobileID, NIN hashing and the issuance of a unique virtual NIN by the ID holder to anyone who wishes to verify their identity.
“In adherence to global best practices and in a bid to forestall flagrant abuse, harvesting of personal data without the requisite user consent, storage in unencrypted and insecure database, misuse and, or negligent processing of the NIN by data processors and third parties, NIMC deployed the use of the Tokenization feature to be integrated across multiple verification channels and platforms of the Commission.
“The Tokenized version of the person’s NIN (which may be referred to as “virtual NIN” or “vNIN”) is then used by registered persons (Users) for verifying their identity with a verifying MDA, agents or enterprise who needs to confirm User’s identity before offering service to such User. Individuals may also verify others who have these credentials, but the User must, always, know who verified their identity”, he stated.
He listed the benefits of the virtual NIN including data privacy protection.
“This is because access to an individual’s NIN by others is further restricted.
“Ensuring no third party may carry out any verification, hiding behind a proxy (and without the knowledge of the NIMC, being the Custodian of Identity), among others.”
