Caleb Ajagba, Chief of Staff to the Abia State Governor, has called for stronger collaboration between the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and security agencies to improve data management in Nigeria. Ajagba made the appeal during a courtesy visit by the Abia State Coordinator of NIMC, Ukpabi Eni, and his team at the Government House in Umuahia.
Ajagba emphasized the critical role of accurate data in national planning and development, describing it as a powerful tool to combat insecurity and electoral malpractices. “Obviously, you cannot plan without data, and data gathering has been a major problem in the country. Today, we are not even sure of our exact population, so how can we plan?” he stated. He urged for increased sensitization and stakeholder collaboration to enhance data utilization across the country.
In his remarks, NIMC Coordinator Ukpabi Eni highlighted the purpose of the visit, which was to strengthen ties with key stakeholders in Abia State. He described the state government as a vital partner in NIMC’s mandate of identity management and praised its commitment to integrating the National Identity Number (NIN) into governance. Eni underscored the NIN’s importance for national planning, development, and security.
The call for collaboration underscores ongoing efforts to streamline data management for improved governance and security in Nigeria.
