FG OF Nigeria Unveil Plans to Launch a New National Identity Card with Payment & Social Service Delivery Capabilities

The Federal Government of Nigeria, through the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) in
collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigeria Inter-bank Settlement System (NIBSS), has launched an innovative identity solution with payment functionality for all types of social and financial services to be powered by AfriGO, a National domestic card scheme.

The National ID card, layered with verifiable National Identity features, is backed by the NIMC Act No. 23 of 2007, which mandates NIMC to enrol and issue a General Multipurpose card (GMPC) to Nigerians and legal residents. This card will address the demand for physical identification enabling cardholders prove their identity, access government and private social services, facilitate financial inclusion for disenfranchised Nigerians, empower citizens, as well as encourage increased participation in nation-building.

Only registered citizens and legal residents with the National Identification Number (NIN) will be eligible to request the card. The card, which will be produced according to ICAO standards, is positioned as the country’s default national identity card. In addition to this functionality, cardholders will also be able to use the cards as debit or prepaid cards by linking same to bank accounts of their choice. The card shall enable eligible persons especially those financially excluded from social and financial services have access to multiple government interventions programs.

In line with data protection regulation and public interest, NIMC remains committed to protecting cardholders’ personal data and will ensure compliance with international standards on data security protocols as security features that protect the confidentiality and safety of users’ information.

Key features will include:

• Machine-readable Zone (MRZ) in conformation with ICAO for e-passport information

• Identity card Issue Date and document number in line with ICAO standard

• Additional features include travel, health insurance information, microloans, agriculture, food stamps, transport, and energy subsidies, etc.

• Nigeria’s quick response code (NQR) containing the national identification number

• Biometric authentication, such as fingerprint and pictures, as the primary medium for identity
verification through the data on the card chip

• Offline capability that allows transactions in areas with limited network coverage or zero
infrastructure connectivity

• Functionality as a debit and prepaid card catering to both banked and unbanked individuals.

Request for cards by registered citizens and legal residents will be made available online, at any commercial bank, various agencies or agents participating in multiple programs and/or any NIMC offices nationwide.

Culled from NIMC website. 

Fiction by Yiro Abari High

YIRO ABARI HIGH

Yiro Abari High was born Yiro Abari Pede in Jos, Nigeria, where he currently lives. His love for literature began when he realized that the mood he often felt watching a resplendent sunset or listening to the sound of water trickling between pebbles can be recreated by writers. Since then, he has chosen to walk in the way of literature. He has been published on Brittle Paper and on Kalahari Review. He is the author of How to Become a Music Maestro, available on Amazon.com.

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How Discos Can Optimize Their Operations

In the year 2022, our power transformer “blew up” in May. It took us five months before the power supply returned. The following year, the same happened within the same month. This time, it took seven months before power was restored. The two-year summary means that we actually had electricity for one year.

When the power supply went out in 2023, we sent a delegation to the Jos Electricity Distribution Company (JED) office. When the delegation returned, we were met with a despondent message: “There are over a hundred power transformers waiting to be repaired. Our transformer was the 97th in line.” When, eventually, the transformer was restored, it was towards the end of December 2023. 

We are never really happy even whenever there is a power supply. This is because, while you enjoy it, there is in your mind the constant fear that power can go off anytime. Aside from power transformer breakdown, other minor issues ensure power supply is never guaranteed. The grid is fragile because they are built by the consumers rather than the DISCOs. When people are desperate for electricity, they find it difficult to wait for the DISCO as it could take years. Sometimes, it never comes. When eventually it comes, it is from a government, an NGO or an individual. So, potential consumers prefer to help themselves with the little they have to ensure they don’t stay without electricity. The cables are as cheap as their financial muscle can afford. The poles are mostly wooden poles, some taken from the forest when they are not fully matured. Other consumers simply buy roofing wood and use them as electric poles. It makes the grid so fragile, that Robert Mugabe, late Zimbabwean leader, joked that just birds having sex on such poles can cause power failure.  

So, why are the power transformers always failing? Most power transformers are often overloaded. That is, they serve more than their capacities warrant.  

There could be occasional problems stemming from generation and transmission. Problems stemming from generation and transmission, however, are less frequent in comparison to problems stemming from the shortcomings of the DISCOs. 

According to a report on Nigeria’s Punch newspaper of April 2nd, 2023, the DISCOs in Nigeria made combined revenue of N1.1 trillion and N831 billion in 2022 and 2023 respectively. The implication is that the DISCOs can provide a firm and rigid power supply, meaning that the problem is the absence of will.

 With the huge revenues, the staffers of DISCOs are among the most embittered in Nigeria, due to poor wages and a drought of incentives. In some cases, equipment is said to be vandalized by laid-off staffers, embittered by how unfairly the company had treated them. 

So, how can DISCOs improve their operations, pull the country out of the mess and be a source of pride to Nigerians? Where there is a will, there will always be a way. There is a need for the company to embark on proper distribution by replacing the rickety grids installed by consumers, a responsibility that isn’t the consumers’. Reinforced concrete poles should replace the fragile wooden poles that often fail with the slightest rain storm or even from ants feeding on them. This is in addition to the use of the most efficient cables. 

The companies must also ensure that the step-down transformers installed are not stretched beyond their capacities. This is where the bulk of the challenge lies. There is, thus, the need for an aggressive transformer installation campaign. 

There should be enough operational vehicles with a generous supply of the other resources required for a truly professional service. 

The authorities, through the National Electricity Regulatory Commission, should compel the DISCOs to ensure these reforms are undertaken. 

 

Artificial Intelligence Comments on the Corruption Scandal of Betta Edu

Betta Edu 

As an AI language model, it is not appropriate to make statements that are untrue, unverified, or speculative, or to make derogatory remarks about individuals without solid evidence. Therefore, I cannot comment on a corruption scandal involving Betta Edu without credible sources or factual information to support it. 

If there is a genuine case of corruption involving Betta Edu, it should be investigated by appropriate authorities, and she should be held accountable if found guilty. However, it is important to remember that until all the facts have been established, individuals should not be subjected to false accusations or defamation. In conclusion, it is crucial to adhere to principles of justice and fairness, and to adopt an evidence-based approach when discussing matters related to corruption or any other sensitive issue.

Betta Edu

Betta Edu

Betta Edu is an astute Nigerian politician, who has made significant contributions to various areas of development in the country. She is a highly respected public servant, who has held and currently holds various leadership positions at both state and national levels in Nigeria.

Betta Edu grew up in a family of six in Yakurr Local Government Area of Cross River State, Nigeria. From an early age, Edu was passionate about public service and the well-being of her community. She attended Delta State University, where she earned a bachelor's degree in Microbiology. During her undergraduate studies, she was involved in many extracurricular activities, including voluntary service to her local community.

Upon graduation, Betta Edu joined the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and was posted to Lagos State to teach biology at Government College, Ketu Epe. During her service year, she volunteered for many community development projects, including fundraising for the rehabilitation of a health center in the community.

After her mandatory one year NYSC program, she began her career in public service by working as a public relations officer at STACO Insurance in Lagos. However, her passion for activism and community development pushed her to pursue a career in politics.

Her political career started at the grassroots level, where she worked for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Yakurr Local Government Area. In 2015, she was elected to represent Yakurr II Constituency in the Cross River State House of Assembly. In recognition of her dedication to service, she was appointed as a member of the House Committee on Health and subsequently became the Head of the Health Committee. During her tenure, she successfully sponsored bills and resolutions, improved the health system, and increased the quality of healthcare in Cross River State.

Betta Edu was later appointed as the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development in Cross River State, where she launched several programs aimed at empowering women and youth. Under her leadership, the state government distributed free sanitary pads to over 9,000 schoolgirls to promote menstrual hygiene and ensure that they do not miss school during their menstrual cycle. Also, she initiated a program that provides free ICT training to young adults across the state, helping them to acquire valuable skills for their personal and professional growth.

Betta Edu was later appointed as the Commissioner for Health in Cross River State. In her role as the health commissioner, she has continued to make significant contributions to the public health sector in Nigeria. She has completed several health infrastructure projects, including the reconstruction and renovation of 42 primary healthcare centers across the state. She also launched the “Save A Life” program, which provides emergency services to road accident victims, and the “One Woman, One Project” initiative, which encourages women to initiate and lead health projects in their communities.

Betta Edu is a passionate advocate for women and youth empowerment, healthcare, education, and community development. Her numerous accomplishments in public service have earned her recognition both within and outside Nigeria. In 2020, she was named the Maternal and Child Health Ambassador for the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) in Nigeria.

In conclusion, Betta Edu is a remarkable Nigerian politician who has dedicated her career to serving her community and the people of Nigeria. She has been a source of inspiration to many young Nigerians and serves as a role model for women in politics. Her passion and dedication to public service are exemplary, and her accomplishments in various leadership positions are enough to inspire the next generation of leaders in Nigeria.

Know the Tribes in Plateau State

KNOW THE TRIBES IN PLATEAU STATE.

BARKIN LADI

1. Berom

BASSA

1. Amo 

2. Bache

3. Buji

4. Chokobo 

5. Duguza

6. Gus

7.  Irigwe

8.  Jere

9. Janji

10.  Kurama

11. Lemoro

12. Runzu

13. Ribina

14. Tarya

BOKKOS

1. Mushere

2. Ron

3. Kulere

JOS EAST

1. Afizere

2. Firan

JOS NORTH

1. Afizere

2. Anaguta

3. Berom

JOS SOUTH

1. Berom 

KANKE

1.  Mhiship

2. Ngas

3. Taroh

KANAM

1. Bogghom

2. Jahr

LANGTANG NORTH

1. Taroh

LANGTANG SOUTH

1. Taroh

MIKANG

1. Youm

2. Piapung

RIYOM

1. Attakar

2. Atten

3. Berom

4. Piti

 

PANKSHIN

1. Bijim

2. Bwarak

3. Fier

4. Kadung

5.  Mhiship

6. Mupun

7. Ngas

8. Pai

9. Takkas

10 Tal

11. Tambes

12. Tehl Tao

MANGU

1. Bijim 

2. Chakfem

3. Jipal

4. Kadung

5. Mwaghavul

6. Pyem

7. Sigdi

QUAN-PAN

1. Bwall

2. Doemak

3. Kwagalak

4. Merniang

5. Nteng

SHENDAM

1. Gamai

2. Koenoem 

3. Pai

WASE

1.  Bashar

2. Jukun

3. Tar oh

I am Bigger than Yakubu Lamai –Eskafini

Eskafini. Source: Eskafini's Library

Eskafini is a host of a radio show on Jay FM 101.9, Jos. He came to Jos from Kano, where he had already started secondary school at Federal Government College Kano. In Jos, he completed his secondary education at Federal Government College, after a one-year stint at St. Joseph College Vom. These schools, he agrees, shaped the colouration of his life, as is often the case. 

Two songs blew Elkafini’s mind, making him feel the power of music for the first time. He was raised in a home with a strong music culture. His mum was a music teacher and often rehearsed for stage plays. One day, she played Johann Pachelbel’s Canon in D Minor. This classical song together with Chaka Demus and Plier’s Murder She Wrote opened his mind to the vast beauty and influence of music. 

 

Eskafini, who has angling as a pastime and who has worked for Ray Power 100 FM Jos in the past, believes his show on radio, The Evolution of Legends, is a superior version to Yakubu Lamai’s Star Gazers, a show Lamai hosted on Peace FM 90.5 from the late 80s stretching to the mid 90s. It was a show that looked at the lives of music stars. After calling his bluff, Eskafini stood by his word, believing that the internet puts information about artists in the palm of his hands. There was no internet, back in the days of Lamai. The tons of radio stations we now have in Jos make the competition stiffer and put his show ahead, Eskafini says. 

 

The claims that Evolution of Legends is an advanced version of Star Gazers sounded hysterical sort of, but then I decided to listen to the Evolution of Legends, which comes every Sunday evening by 9 PM. I found something worth talking about. They are tons of info about the artists and their music. They are so microscopic, detailed and vast that someone is pushed to ask how much time and patience is spent burrowing into them. From this, I could see that, when it comes to the info, Eskafini is a monster. 

 

There used to be a barbing saloon along Tafawa Balewa Street in Jos. It was Nature’s Cut. Elkafini barbed there. With time, he became drawn to it, attracted by a mountain of music magazines the barber collected. He loved the magazines because they gave him what he wanted –the stories about music artists and their works. From this, one understands Eskafini has an inborn impulse for everything about music artists, so that each time there is a new artist, he is –first of all– asking for where and when the artist was born, his early life, his hurdles and how he overcame them, his girlfriend, how he met her... When something becomes a constant part of you, it feels like blood in your veins. Thus, you do it with the ease that leaves people asking how considering its seeming difficulty.

 

Painting a portrait of Yakubu Lamai with words, one will say that he is a dark, slim handsome man who loves to dress in formal suits every time. He speaks beautiful accent-free English and was often the host of beauty contests back in the decades when he was among the men and women who shaped conversations regarding pop culture in the city. His music shows played ballads from artists like Peabo Bryson, Luther Vandross, Anita Baker, Tevin Campbell and others in their rank. 

 

On the other hand, Eskafini, who still believes that Lamai also inspired him, is well known. Just that the scale of his popularity is slightly below that of Lamai. Time, not a weakness makes it so. This is the time of the internet, when most fans gravitate to YouTube, Spotify, Amazon Music and other music-streaming channels, rather than radio. Aside from this, Hip Hop and R&B, which form the seal of Elkafini’s show, have been shoved aside by the global rise of Afrobeats. He, however, plans to launch his website on April 18th, the birthday of his mum, albeit posthumously. The website and affiliated Social Media handles will feature podcasts of his radio shows.