Nigeria Postal Service CEO and former Postmaster-General Bisi Adegbuyi stressed the importance of local government autonomy in Identity Management and governance in Nigeria. He maintained that because local governments are the ones closest to the people under the constitution, they should have the authority to manage planning, data gathering, and resource distribution. The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and local governments should collaborate to coordinate identity management initiatives in a bottom-up manner, guaranteeing dependability and efficiency. Adegbuyi promoted using technology, such as digital addressing and geolocation, to enhance government and lessen corruption.
Address-based identification systems, according to him, might improve transparency and accountability at the local level. He brushed aside worries about data tampering by the local administration, pointing to reforms and appropriate hiring of leaders as remedies. He favoured the notion of a local government-led, standardised addressing system with broad guidelines established by the federal government. He criticised the NIMC’s proposed multifunctional identity card, arguing that it might be unnecessary and that existing identity systems should be converged instead of being replaced. Adegbuyi emphasised the controversial nature of Nigeria’s population census because of its connections to Revenue distribution.
Many municipal administrations lack infrastructure.
Until the socio-political environment is favourable, he requested the National Population Commission to postpone the census. He suggested using technology-driven and address-based approaches to reduce the process’s expense and polarisation. Although Bisi Adegbuyi supports more local government autonomy in Nigeria, especially when it comes to data management and digital addressing, a number of stakeholders offer counterarguments that point out possible difficulties and restrictions. Critics contend that better local government may not always follow from greater autonomy. Nigerian historical examples show that political meddling and Corruption have frequently afflicted local government’s.
To make local governments the cornerstone of national politics, for instance, the 1976 Local Government Reforms were implemented; yet, problems like public money misappropriation and a lack of accountability remained. Local governments’ ability to efficiently administer and deploy digital addressing systems is a source of worry. It is possible that many municipal administrations lack the infrastructure, financial resources, and technical know-how needed to carry out such efforts effectively. System implementations that fall short of expectations could result from this insufficiency.
Digital addressing system improvement should begin with pilot projects.
A grid of five-by-five-meter squares was used by Ghana to construct a digital addressing system, giving each one a distinct digital address. This program sought to enhance Economic Growth and service delivery. Public awareness, data accuracy, and interoperability with current systems were among the difficulties faced, though, underscoring the complexity of such extensive digital initiatives. There were several obstacles to Botswana’s implementation of a physical address system, such as contextual adaptation, Technology acceptance, and stakeholder coordination. When adopting addressing systems, the experience emphasises the value of a multifaceted framework that takes organisational, technical, and social elements into account.
It is recommended that local government employees participate in training programs that improve their technical abilities. These programs should include workshops on digital tools, data management, and system maintenance to guarantee the successful deployment and long-term viability of digital addressing systems. It should be encouraged for municipal governments and commercial technology companies to work together. These collaborations can help local governments overcome their resource limitations by supplying the required knowledge, resources, and technology. Digital addressing system testing and improvement should begin with pilot projects in a few municipal governments. These pilots can act as educational tools, enabling possible problems to be found and fixed prior to a national rollout.
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Additionally, to guarantee that the systems satisfy their demands and win over the public, local communities should be included in the planning and implementation stages. Support from the community is essential for new technology uptake and success. creating precise rules and guidelines that outline the obligations of different parties, establish guidelines for data handling, and guarantee accountability and openness throughout the implementation process. Nigeria might endeavour to reap the advantages of local government autonomy and digital addressing systems while reducing any hazards and difficulties by responding to counterarguments and implementing practical measures.