The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) is launching a new contactless passport renewal system, marking a significant advancement in the country’s digital identity infrastructure. Beginning with Nigerians in Canada on November 1, the system will use biometric verification technology to enable remote passport renewals without requiring in-person visits to NIS centers.
According to the NIS, the system employs facial recognition and document verification algorithms to authenticate applicants’ identities remotely. This technology builds upon Nigeria’s existing National Identity Number (NIN) infrastructure, which already maintains biometric records for millions of citizens.
The rollout will proceed in three phases: launching first in Canada, followed by expansion to the United Kingdom, United States, and Italy on November 15, and finally becoming available in Nigeria and worldwide by December 1. The NIS states that the system will verify applicants through their existing biometric data in the national database, cross-referencing it with new facial scans submitted through the mobile application.
The digital platform will be accessible through the official NIS mobile application, which will be available on Google Play, the App Store, and the Windows Store. The app incorporates modern security features, including liveness detection and encrypted data transmission, to prevent fraud and protect user information.
This initiative represents a cornerstone of Nigeria’s broader digital transformation strategy, aimed at modernizing government services and improving accessibility for citizens both domestically and abroad. The NIS reports that the system has undergone extensive testing to ensure compliance with international standards for identity verification and data protection.
Sources: Arise News, The Cable
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November 1, 2024 – by the ID Tech Editorial Team
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