The Lagos State Government has collaborated with the National Identity Management Commission and the National Social Safety-Net Coordinating Office to enhance the accuracy of the national social register, a key tool for delivering social intervention programmes.
As part of the initiative, the government launched a three-day training exercise for field personnel tasked with updating the social register.
The exercise, tagged Training on the Integration of the NIN with the NSR Update, began on Saturday at the Dover Hotel, Ikeja.
The Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget, Olayinka Ojo, emphasized that integrating the National Identification Number into the register would ensure transparency and social inclusion.
“The register will allow a unique identity to be assigned to beneficiaries in order to ensure social inclusion and transparency,” she stated.
She further explained that the training aims to certify front-end enrolment partners with NIMC for NIN registration and verification, align with the Federal Government’s goal of linking beneficiaries to unique identities, and reduce duplication in intervention programmes.
Ojo added that Lagos is well-positioned for the initiative, which would improve the credibility of the register, enhance accountability, and facilitate access to interventions for vulnerable households.
Speaking on the importance of data harmonisation, the Lagos State Coordinator of NIMC, Olumide Aremu, noted that proper tracking of social programmes would enable the government to assess their impact.
“This helps the government analyse and track the exact impact of programmes on the citizens. It enables authorities to review what is being done right, what needs improvement, and whether interventions are reaching the right people,” Aremu said.
The National Coordinator of NASSCO, Funmi Olotu, represented by the Manager of the National Grievance Redress Mechanism, Dr. Daniel Amba, also stressed the importance of the social register in safety-net programmes.
“By integrating the NIN into the social register, we will enhance the accuracy and efficiency of our targeting mechanisms, ensuring that the most vulnerable households receive the support they need,” Olotu stated.
