The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has argued for the adoption of the new National e-ID card as a valid travel document, just like the passport. This is as it claims that the card is a Machine Readable Travel Document (MRTD), recognized by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
The NIMC, in making this recommendation, noted that the card contains three lines called Machine Readable Zone (MRZ), in the same way the passport does, stressing that one of the 13 applets embedded in the JCOP chip on the card has content similar to what is in Nigeria’s e-passport.
According to the Commission, it is known as ICAO applet so it could easily be used as a travel document, subject to approval of the international community. It pointed out that the development of MRZ was as a result of NIMC’s compliance with the ICAO document 9303 parts 1 and 2.
NIMC noted that if adopted, it would make travel easier, especially for frequent travelers who have to renew their passports and visas quite often. Similarly, the Commission said that it is a better way to document travel information, as the loss of the identity card would not impair the information therein, as it would not be accessed by other people.
ICAO applet is designed to be active at the time one picks up his e-ID card, or the citizen may wish to activate it to make travelling easier. NIMC maintained that rigorous testing by international testing agencies has ensured that the contents of the chip meet or exceed the standards set by the internationally recognized body.
The Commission held that the adoption of the national identity card as an internationally recognized travel document would be a welcome development, to the extent that it is recognized by other countries and agencies. The Commission pledged not to lose sight of the fact that it must strive to gain for it the acceptance of others across borders in its quest to realize this.
To bring about this, the Commission is seeking to liaise with the nation’s aviation and immigration authorities to ensure that its usage is included in all bilateral agreements. it also urge the Commission to guard against the challenges the nation’s passport is facing as an internationally recognized travel document.
It listed some of these challenges to include the possibility of forgery, which is threatening to make nonsense of the nation’s passport, adding that criminals and illegal aliens are known to carry the document obtained through illegal means, thereby jeopardizing the nation’s security.
The commission was enjoined to be strict on the issue of who is qualified to carry the document by streamlining in a most rigorous manner the process of obtaining it, because the image of the nation is at stake in the event that it falls into the hands of unscrupulous elements.
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