Safeguards Built Into NIDS to Protect Identities

Executive Director of the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA), Dr. Warren Vernon, says safeguards have been built into the National Identification System (NIDS) to protect individuals’ identities.

He cited the legal framework provided by the National Identification and Registration Act, 2021, along with the oversight of the National Identification and Registration Inspectorate (NIRI).

NIRI provides oversight of the NIRA, the agency responsible for managing the NIDS.

The Inspectorate’s core functions include monitoring compliance with the Act and its Regulations, overseeing the performance of NIRA, conducting periodic inspections and issuing directions to the Authority, as well as investigating issues or complaints.

NIRI also plays a crucial role in ensuring that NIRA operates in full compliance with legal requirements, data protection protocols, and security standards.

“The next critical thing that is built into it is that your identity cannot be disclosed or verified without your consent. So, it is now a requirement for the identity owner to say, ‘yes, I wish for my identity to be disclosed’ or for it to be verified and a notification is shared with the identity owner for their own protection,” Dr. Vernon said.

“There are clear rules for data use, and the system is designed in such a way with different controls. You can’t just browse the database to access information about an individual. If you touch identity information, because you are required to deliver a service to the individual, then that is audited. It is logged, it is protected by blockchain, which means the person doing the data review can’t delete those logs. There is overall strong data protection in place,” he added.

Dr. Vernon noted that in certain exceptional cases, information may be disclosed pursuant to a court order.

“So the police can’t just come to the Authority and ask for identity information to be disclosed. They have to go and speak to a judge in chamber before that information can be disclosed. So, we have strong protection, not only in terms of the legal framework but also in terms of the controls that are built within the system to guarantee that level of trust that is required for a system of this nature,” he stated.

Dr. Vernon also disclosed that data within the system is encrypted at rest, meaning “you can’t see the data without the keys that are required to decrypt that data”.

“The system is built in such a way to prevent identity theft and fraud by design, thereby ensuring that benefits go to the right people. There are several layers of protection built into the system.

Biometric information… for example… is not shared. The biometric is always with you on the physical card, and you decide when you want to share that information. It must be done with your consent,” he stated.

The electronic National ID cards are equipped with a Personal Identification Number (PIN), similar to the technology used in debit and credit cards. Users must enter their PIN to access the information stored on the card.

“So, there are several layers of controls, all designed in such a way to protect the identity information, end to end,” Dr. Vernon assured.