MILLIONS OF NIGERIANS STILL OUTSIDE IDENTITY SYSTEM DESPITE 67.8M BVN ENROLMENT — EXPERT

The Regional Head of Biometrics for West Africa at Identy.io, Dr. Olalekan Olasiyan, has raised concerns over Nigeria’s persistent identity gap, warning that millions of citizens remain outside the national digital identity framework despite rising Bank Verification Number (BVN) enrolment.

Olasiyan disclosed that BVN registrations increased to 67.8 million as of December 2025, up from 63.5 million in 2024, representing a 6.8 per cent year-on-year growth.

He, however, noted that the figure still falls short of adequately covering Nigeria’s adult population, with a significant number of people—particularly in rural and informal sectors—yet to be captured in the identity system.

According to him, “despite the steady rise in BVN enrolment, millions of Nigerians remain outside the identity net, limiting their access to financial services and digital opportunities.”

He warned that the gap poses a major setback to Nigeria’s digital economy ambitions, stressing that a reliable identity system remains central to financial inclusion, efficient service delivery, and broader economic participation.

Olasiyan added that the strength of any digital economy depends on the ability to uniquely identify citizens and residents, noting that weak identity coverage encourages fraud, slows inclusion, and creates unequal access to services.

He also referenced industry data showing that fraud losses in Nigeria rose to ₦52.26 billion in 2024 before dropping to ₦25.85 billion in 2025, attributing the decline to improved identity verification systems and stronger data standards.

“These figures clearly show that fraud is costly, but also that stronger identity systems can significantly reduce these risks when effectively implemented,” he said.

The expert called for urgent expansion of Nigeria’s identity infrastructure to reach underserved groups, including rural dwellers, women, and persons with disabilities, noting that exclusion from identity systems directly translates to exclusion from economic opportunities.

He further highlighted the impact of identity gaps on public service delivery, including healthcare access, social intervention programmes, and other government services.

While Nigeria’s Digital Public Infrastructure, anchored on the National Identification Number (NIN), has reportedly captured over 121 million residents, Olasiyan stressed that reaching the remaining unregistered population remains critical.

He emphasised that identity systems must be both secure and inclusive, warning that the country’s digital transformation agenda could be undermined if large segments of the population remain unaccounted for.

Olasiyan also advocated the adoption of more advanced biometric technologies, including privacy-preserving, on-device authentication systems that eliminate the need for centralised storage of sensitive data.

According to him, such innovations align with global standards and support Nigeria’s ongoing transition to modern identity frameworks aimed at strengthening trust and reducing data breach risks.

He further noted that offline-capable biometric solutions and smartphone-based verification tools could help bridge the gap in rural and low-connectivity areas.

“Bridging Nigeria’s identity gap requires solutions that are not only secure but also accessible to people regardless of location or connectivity,” he said.

Olasiyan concluded that closing the identity gap is critical to reducing fraud, improving trust in digital systems, and unlocking the full potential of Nigeria’s growing digital economy.