DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF NATIONAL IDENTITY CARD MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

(A CASE STUDY OF NIMC)

ABSTRACT

This project is aimed at developing a long lasting processing and administration system for national identity cards. It is aimed at keeping records of all processing and administration system for national Identity card with view of modifying it into a full computerized system. The study covers the areas of application entry, record verification, list generation, code numbering and maintenance of the managed information. The new system which was developed using PHP programming language is very easy to use and gives answers to report generation and management. During the development, examination of written documents as well as oral interviews with staff of National Identification Management Commission (NIMC) was used for data collection and also a source of information. Analysis of the information gotten revealed that NIMC still uses the manual method of data management. This manual paper/pen method of documentation has resulted to lot inefficiencies in the commission. Thus this web based system is created to curb the identified problems. It is expected that the developed system will help NIMC in managing effectively national identity card processing and storage. 

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

The National Identity Card Processing and Administration system is the only through way a state and a nation’s population figure can be ascertain. To be accepted in a given locating or geographical area, it is necessary to bear a mark. Mark here does not really mean facial mark rather an identity. This identity card will bear your name, state and all information about you as an individual or person. This therefore boils down to what we know as National Identity Card. The Question is “what is an identity card? As defined by many authors and dictionary including the encyclopedia. It is a national document certifying State, nationality, issued by the government of a country to every individual or person that the definition National Identity Card can also be called a true image of an individual or person; because it tells well abut a person.”

The idea of a national identification card system in Nigeria was originally conceived in 1977 but was eventually executed in 2003 after several controversies and bottlenecks (Obi, 2006). In 1978 under the Department of National Civic Registration (DNCR), which was charged with registering and issuing a National Identity Card to every citizen of Nigeria who was then 18 years or older, an attempt was initiated to document the identity of Nigerians and non-citizens using biographic data. The aim of this scheme then as stated in the National Identity Management System Handbook on Business Processes, Standards and Specifications (2011) was to use the program as an effective tool for controlling illegal immigration, to validate other civic documents like travel passports, and to set up a reliable personal identification system for securing commercial transactions with financial institutions and the like.

In 2007, National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), established by the NIMC Act No. 23 of 2007, was given the mandate to establish, own, operate, maintain and manage the National Identity Database in Nigeria. A key requirement of the National Identity Management System (NIMS) is the capture of biometrics and necessary demographic data in a standardized manner that would facilitate identity authentication and verification using the unique National Identification Number (NIN) (NIMC, 2011). National Identity Management Commission, in discharging of its duties, on July 2009 constituted a body to be known as the National Identity Management and Harmonization Committee (NIMHC) to become the custodian for setting standards for National Identity Management System. By the extension of the National Identity Management Commission Act, Section 5, part (j), NIMHC established rules and standards that shall be binding on all subjects, agencies, organizations, and entities that are collecting, disseminating, or consuming identity data in Nigeria (NIMC, 2011).

Although NIMC has been seen to discharge its duties effectively, there exist some bottlenecks which happen to hamper the successful discharge of duties. These bottlenecks arise mostly due to the manual method of operation (paper/pen method of documentation). This project tends to curb the known problems by designing an automated national identity card management system for Nigerian people. Although there are different arms in the National Identity Management Commission which takes the responsibility of checking and issuing the National Identity Card, but as it concerns our area of interest in this project work, Department of National Civil Registration under the NIMC, of Ngwo Local government Area of Enugu State will be our target.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Currently, the processing of acquiring and managing national identity card in Nigeria involves the manual method where paper and pen are used for documentation. Some many disadvantages have been seen to be involved in this method; National Identity Card processing and Administration system is not an easy task. This reason is because it involves absolute carefulness to ascertain a population figure, prevent forgery and avoid the dangers of Impersonation, duplication of multiple National Identity Cards for one particular person.

Scanning through reports for a file with definite information can be a techniques and time wasting work because of the large volume of record to be scanned. Also to change particular information may be as a result of marriage, change of name, or loss of the Identity card in other words known as update will also be a tug of way for the individual in charge. 

It creates weariness and loss of dedication to duties by the staff thereby restricting the powers of the Department of National Civil Registration services following the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which states that “No Public Officer shall put himself in a position where his personal interest conflict with his duties and responsibilities” (1999 Constitution 5th schedule point 1 no.1) The processing and administration of the computerized national identity card management system will be capable of restricting access to non-authorized person, provide faster access to knowledge and curb all the above known problems.

1.3 Aim and Objectives of the Study

The main aim of this study is to review the manual method of operation being carried out in the National Identity Management Commission, Ngwo Local government area of Enugu state and design an automated system to manage identity cards. To achieve the stated aim, the following specific objectives were laid out:

i. Design a system capable of capturing and storing data using client server architecture.

ii. System should check and prevent multiple possession of the National Identity card

iii. Deprive immigrant who are not citizen of the country from obtaining the national identity card

iv. Provide a proper account of the identity card issued.

v. Develop a proper secured storage system which keeps all vital information ready for use

1.4 Scope and Limitation of the Study

This is limited to the activities involved in National Identity Management Commission and its administration system and also report generation on the National Identity Card holders Information. The system is built using PHP programming language and runs on a browser. The client/server architecture ensures that the server database is updated whenever necessary and every branch of the NIMC is updated too.

It is on these that the effectiveness and efficiency of the National Identity card section of the Ngwo Local Government Area of Enugu State is built.

The limitation is based on the facts which the researcher could not lay hands on pertaining to the study, which evolves the problems of insufficient analysis. In addition to these limitations are time factors and financial insufficiencies.

1.5 Significance of the Study

This project work will be of immense help to National Identity Management Commission in particular because it will help them discharge their duties effectively. Data manipulation and loss will be mitigated as only authorized users are granted access to database. This work can also server a guidance and reference point to scholars researching the field of automated systems.

1.6 Organization of the Study

This study is developed under five chapters. The first chapter introduces the research topic, stating the background of the intended project, statement of the problems, project objectives, its significance to the society and overall scope. The second chapter reviews related literature on national identity card management system. It analyses previous research works, their limitations and need for the development of better system. The third chapter discusses the methodology used for the project development, the limitations of the currently used system and reasons the intended system should be chosen over the current system. It also showcases the design processes of the new system. Chapter four showcases the actual running of the developed system. Here proper tests are done to check the strength of the developed system. The developed system is analyzed to determine its conformation with the stated objectives. Chapter five gives the summary of the project, gives the conclusion and recommends approaches for better system.

1.7 Definition of Terms

As we go into this work, some words will need precise definition to enable the reader assimilate the entire contents.

• NIMC: NIMC operates and regulates matters of national identity in Nigeria with services covering National Identification Number (NIN) enrolment and issuance, National e-ID card issuance, identity verification as well as data harmonization and authentication.

• Citizen: Under the provision of the amended constitution decree No. 32 of 1974, citizen is any person who becomes citizen of any country either by birth, descendant, Registration or Nationalization.

• Identity Card: Any document that may be used to prove a person's identity. If issued in a small, standard credit card size form, it is usually called an identity card (IC, ID card, citizen card)