Nigeria goment don introduce virtual National Identification Number (NIN) tokens wey dey known as - “Tokenization”.

Di National Identity Management Commission for inside statement announce say tokenization na to help protect pipo data privacy through di use of encrypted, coded version of di NIN instead of di actual NIN wey pipo dey use for dia everyday transactions.

Di Director-General of NIMC, Engr Aliyu Aziz say di NIN Tokenization na to protect di personal information of di holders.

“Di Federal goment don adopt dis solution to ensure di privacy of personally identifiable information of individuals during verification transactions and to reduce incidences of illegal retrieval, usage, transfer, and storage of NIN.” Aziz tok.

NIMC say di objective of Tokenization na to provide way for pipo wey get NIN and wey dey entitled to di National e-ID card to fit get visual, high-security representation of di National e-ID on IOS and Android smartphones.

E say na to also provide secure means of presenting NIN for format wey fit protect di NIN from seeding, cloning and duplication.

“Tokenization go present foundation for di harmonisation of tokens. As di ecosystem evolves, e go dey possible for oda tokens like BVN, Voters ID, and even Driver’s licence in as much as e dey subject to di approval of and collaboration wit di relevant functional agency like NIBSS, INEC, FRSC”. Aziz add.

E add say full implementation of di Tokenization go start by 1st January 2022”.  

Wetin be Tokenization?

Tokenization na set of digitally generated numbers (tokens) wey di NIN holder dey generate anytime e need identify himself to a service provider.

Na encrypted, coded representation (disguised) version of di NIN wey dey known as Virtual NIN (VNIN).

Users fit provide di tokens instead of di raw 11-digit NIN for everyday usage.

Di reason for di token according to NIMC na make pipo no fit retain your NIN or use am for way wey go put you at risk.

Di Virtual NIN dey expire 72 hours afta generation.

E consist of 16-digit set of alphanumeric characters.

How di tokenization dey work

You fit use di Virtual NIN when you wan digitally verify your identity wit a verifying agent or enterprise wey need to confirm your identity before offering you service for banks, airports, shopping delivery and so on.

Di NIMC MWS Mobile ID app dey come wit a feature wey dey provide user wit a Virtual NIN.

NIMC DG explain say di “NIN Tokenization solution na feature of di NIN Verification Service (NVS) wey dey hope to provide enhanced data protection for di personal information of persons wey dey registered for di National Identity Database (NIDB) and wey get NIN.

Criteria to get di token and wetin be di benefit

To get di token, you must get:

- National Identity Number wey NIMC issue.
- Mobile fone wey dey registered for Nigeria nad wey dey linked to your NIN.

Benefits

- Data privacy protection – access to individual NIN by odas go dey more restricted.
- Generated token dey encrypted and totally opaque wit no correlation to di NIN.
- Di NIN holder na di only exclusive issuer.
- Generated tokens go expire afta some time.
- Virtual NIN tokens generated dey merchant-specific. Token wey dem generate for company A, company B no go fit use am.