Joy Agwunobi
The Lagos State Government, in collaboration with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and the National Social Safety-Net Coordinating Office (NASSCO), has taken steps to enhance the accuracy and reliability of the national social register.
This initiative is aimed at improving the effectiveness of social intervention programmes by ensuring that benefits reach the intended recipients.
As part of this effort, the state government has commenced a three-day training programme for field personnel to update the social register, with plans to integrate the National Identification Number (NIN) for more efficient service delivery. The training, tagged “Integration of the NIN with the NSR Update,” began on Saturday at the Dover Hotel in Ikeja.
Speaking on the initiative, Olayinka Ojo, the permanent secretary of the Lagos State ministry of economic planning and budget, emphasised that linking the NIN to the register would assign unique identities to beneficiaries, thereby fostering social inclusion and ensuring greater transparency in the distribution of government assistance.
“The primary objectives of this training include, but are not limited to, certifying trainees as front-end enrolment partners with NIMC to facilitate NIN registration and verification.This aligns with the Federal Government’s goal of linking intervention beneficiaries to their unique identities, reducing cases of multiple registrations, and promoting accountability,” she explained.
Ojo further noted that Lagos, given its strategic position, is well-suited for this initiative, which will enhance the credibility of the register, ensure proper tracking of government interventions, and improve accountability in social protection programmes. By integrating identity verification into the social register, the government aims to streamline the process of identifying vulnerable households and monitoring public expenditure in the sector.
Olumide Aremu, the Lagos State coordinator for NIMC, highlighted the importance of data harmonisation in tracking the impact of government interventions. He explained that linking the NIN with the social register would enable authorities to measure the effectiveness of various programmes and make necessary adjustments.
Aremu said “This process allows the government to analyse and assess the true impact of its initiatives on citizens.It helps in determining whether interventions are reaching the right people, identifying areas for improvement, and ensuring that resources are allocated effectively.”
Also speaking at the event, Funmi Olotu, the national coordinator of NASSCO, represented by Daniel Amba, the manager of the national grievance redress mechanism, reiterated the crucial role of the state social register in implementing social safety-net programmes.
“By integrating the NIN into the social register, we will significantly improve the accuracy and efficiency of our targeting mechanisms, ensuring that the most vulnerable households receive the support they need,” Olotu stated.
