National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has said only part of the N9.5 billion provided for in the 2024 Budget estimate, recently signed into law, is for infrastructure.
The commission noted that contrary to the notion that the whole amount would go into construction, a breakdown of the capital expenditure shows that the N9.5 billion has dual mandates.
According to the Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the commission, Abisoye Coker-Odusote, the N9.5 billion is from a Multilateral/Bilateral Project-Tied Loan, which would only be accessed on the condition that NIMC is given a loan or grant from funding partners.
He noted that the proviso requires a partial funding match from the Federal Government, stressing that if no such loan or grant is received, those funds will not be released.
The DG/CEO, who made the clarification to The Guardian through his Technical Assistant on Media and Communications, Ayodele Babalola, pointed out that although part of the Appropriation Bill actually appears under the broad heading of “Construction/Provision of Fixed Assets”, it is actually itemised under the sub-heading, “Construction/Provision of Infrastructure.”
He stated: “This is a general heading used to group different types of capital expenditure. In NIMC’s case, it would be for infrastructure, not construction. The next page (501) has the breakdown for the capital expenditure and shows that the N9.5 billion is from a Multilateral / Bilateral Project Tied Loan.
“It would only be accessed in the event that NIMC is awarded a loan or grant from funding partners that would require a partial funding match from the FG. If no such loan or grant is received, these funds will not be released.”
According to Babalola, the clarification becomes necessary because some national newspapers reported N9.57 billion was budgeted for construction purposes in the 2024 Appropriation Bill.
He disclosed that so far NIMC under the incumbent DG, Coker-Odusote, has witnessed a new vista of organisational reliability, particularly through commitment to the commission’s mission and mandate.
He pointed out that the commission is prioritising data security by introducing robust measures to fortify the protection of citizens’ sensitive information through the adoption of cutting-edge encryption technologies and the establishment of a dedicated cybersecurity team.