Abuja: Dr Anthony Uwa, Head of the Basic Registry and Information System in Nigeria (BRISIN), has called on Nigerians at home and abroad to rally behind the long-delayed national data project. He emphasised that the initiative was crucial for addressing the country's escalating challenges in security, identity management, and development.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Uwa expressed deep concern over the growing insecurity in several states where unidentified gunmen and kidnappers continued to perpetrate deadly attacks with little chance of identification or prosecution. He highlighted the ongoing loss of lives in Benue, Plateau, Niger, Borno, Gombe, Enugu, and other states at the hands of unidentified assailants as deeply troubling. Uwa questioned the origins of these gunmen, whether they are part of local communities or entering undetected, underscoring the need for a centralised data infrastructure to combat this anonymity.
He stressed that the absence of such an infrastructure had created a safe haven for criminals, undermining national security and public trust. Uwa pointed out that without reliable data systems, criminals move freely and remain anonymous, making it difficult to trace and prosecute them.
Beyond security, Uwa highlighted a broader crisis surrounding legal identity and documentation in Nigeria. He cited the widespread use of forged documents, non-registration of vital events, and inconsistent issuance of identity cards and passports as major setbacks. He noted that forgery and fraud thrive in the absence of infrastructure for real-time verification, leading to numerous health, legal, and administrative challenges, including the issue of ghost workers.
Uwa further explained that many Nigerians face humiliation at airports and border posts due to conflicting or unreliable documentation, underscoring the need for a reliable identity system. Economically, Nigeria loses billions of Naira annually to fraud, unregulated businesses, and informal sector activities-issues that could be addressed through a robust national data system.
He urged all Nigerians to support the implementation of BRISIN, approved in 2007 as a foundational platform for building an inclusive data and information infrastructure for national governance and development. Despite its importance, Uwa noted that the project had seen minimal progress in nearly two decades, largely due to funding challenges.
Uwa called for Nigerians everywhere to take ownership of their future by visiting www.brisin.ng and clicking 'SUPPORT BRISIN' to help restore national credibility, strengthen security, and enable effective governance through data.