World Bank Restructures Nigeria Digital ID Project to Ensure $430 Million Funding

The World Bank is restructuring Nigeria’s Digital Identification for Development (ID4D) project to secure the full $430 million pledged by financiers, including the French Development Agency (AFD) and the European Investment Bank (EIB).

The project, initially set to close in June 2024, has been extended by the World bank to June 2026 due to the increased demand for an inclusive digital ID system and to avoid funding cancellation threats from the co-financiers.

The restructuring by the World bank will also shift focus, with some activities being canceled to prioritize the development of a new national identity management system.

What You should Know

Nigeria missed several technical benchmarks, including the enrollment target of issuing 148 million National Identification Numbers (NINs) by June 2024.

The Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS), which processes biometric data, is nearly at full capacity with 80 million records, necessitating an upgrade to accommodate 250 million enrollments by March 2025.

The World Bank has also noted that one disbursement condition remains unmet—the amendment of the NIMC Act for an inclusive legal framework—though significant progress has been made.

The restructuring also reflects the latest priorities of the Nigerian government, such as prioritizing NIN issuance within Nigeria to ensure access to services for the poor and vulnerable.

Indicators related to the number of offices abroad registering Nigerians for NIN will be deleted, and funding will be reallocated to focus on enhancing the national identity management system.