Millions of Nigerians still lack identity despite BVN growth, says Identy.io regional head
via Punch Nigeria3 min read
Dr. Olalekan Olasiyan, Regional Head of Biometrics for West Africa at Identy.io, has expressed concern over Nigeria's identity gap, noting that millions of citizens remain outside the digital identity ecosystem despite increasing Bank Verification Number BVN registrations. As of December 2025, BVN registrations reached 67.8 million, a 6.8 percent increase from 2024's 63.5 million. However, Olasiyan stated these figures do not cover Nigeria's entire adult population, leaving many, especially in rural and informal sectors, unidentified. This gap hinders access to financial services and digital opportunities, posing a challenge to Nigeria's digital economy ambitions. He emphasized that a robust digital economy relies on the ability to uniquely identify citizens, which is crucial for financial inclusion, service delivery, and economic participation. Olasiyan highlighted that weak identity coverage contributes to fraud losses, which surged to ₦52.26 billion in 2024 before declining to ₦25.85 billion in 2025 due to improved verification. He called for expanding identity infrastructure to underserved populations, including rural communities, women, and persons with disabilities, as exclusion from identity systems leads to exclusion from economic opportunities and affects public service delivery. While Nigeria's Digital Public Infrastructure, based on the National Identification Number, has enrolled over 121 million residents, reaching those in low-connectivity areas remains critical
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The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, received a donation of protective gear from the United States-based organization Signal 63 Ministries, facilitated by the Fundamental Baptist Ministry International. The consignment was presented at the Force Headquarters in Abuja. Mr. Bill Graham of Signal 63 Ministries and Rev. and Mrs. Philemon Sidi of the Fundamental Baptist Ministry International facilitated the donation. Disu commended their efforts, stating the donation is a critical intervention to enhance the safety and operational confidence of frontline personnel. He reaffirmed his administration's commitment to equipping officers for effective service delivery, emphasizing that the well-being of personnel is non-negotiable and a cornerstone of building a more resilient and professional police force.
Must ReadA new report by climate rights groups, including Greenpeace, the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, and GroundWork, indicates that South Africa risks up to 32,000 premature deaths between 2026 and 2050 if the phase-out of coal plants is delayed. This delay is attributed to the government’s updated decommissioning dates, which allow some of the 14 coal-fired power plants to operate until 2050. Coal currently supplies 80 percent of South Africa’s power and employs over 90,000 people, making decommissioning a contentious issue. The report projects that Gauteng province, despite having no state-owned coal plants, could experience 15,000 deaths due to transboundary pollution. Cynthia Moyo, a climate campaigner at Greenpeace, highlighted that pollution travels and does not remain localized. The delay is also expected to impact children's health, potentially causing 41,000 pre-term births, 17,000 new cases of childhood asthma, and 370 deaths among children under five. Residents of Middelburg in Mpumalanga shared experiences of air pollution effects, including early-onset asthma and skin diseases. The report estimates the economic cost of the delay at 721 billion rand $38 billion, accounting for lost working days and increased strain on the public healthcare system. South Africa, the continent’s most industrialized nation, signed a Just Energy Transition Partnership JETP deal in 2021 to transition from coal, but this process has faced internal government disputes.
Nigeria's ambassador-designate to Algeria, Mohammed Mahmud Lele, has died at the age of 50. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced his death, stating he passed away in Ankara, Türkiye, in the early hours of April 19, 2026, after a protracted illness. Lele, a career diplomat, was the Director in charge of the Middle East and Gulf Division in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and had recently been appointed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as ambassador-designate to Algeria, following Senate confirmation. Born in Gamawa, Bauchi State, in 1976, he studied Economics at Bayero University, Kano, and served in Nigerian missions in Berlin, Lomé, and Riyadh. The ministry described him as a dedicated officer known for his intellectual depth, strategic insight, and commitment to Nigeria’s foreign policy. Permanent Secretary Dunoma Umar Ahmed received his remains in Abuja, calling him a hardworking and humble officer. Lele was buried on Wednesday in Kano according to Islamic rites. The ministry extended condolences to his family, associates, and the government and people of Bauchi State.
A faction of the Peoples Democratic Party, supported by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has announced the costs for its presidential and governorship nomination and expression of interest forms for the 2027 general elections. The presidential form is priced at ₦51m, and the governorship form at ₦21m. Umar Bature, the PDP National Organising Secretary of this faction, released a timetable detailing these fees and the electoral schedule. The expression of interest form for all positions costs ₦1m. Nomination fees are ₦2m for State Houses of Assembly, ₦3m for House of Representatives, ₦5m for Senate, ₦20m for governorship, and ₦50m for presidential aspirants. The sale of forms will run from April 27 to May 4, with a submission deadline of May 9. Screening for State Houses of Assembly, National Assembly, and governorship aspirants is set for May 11, and for presidential aspirants on May 12. The presidential primary is scheduled for May 18, and governorship primaries for May 27. House of Representatives primaries are on May 21, Senate primaries on May 23, and State Houses of Assembly primaries between May 21 and May 24. Appeals are to conclude by May 30, 2026. Female aspirants will only pay the expression of interest fee. The PDP is currently divided into two factions, with ongoing court cases, and the Supreme Court is expected to communicate a judgment date to the parties.