The federal government has unveiled the Nigerian Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) framework. The initiative is structured to achieve a unified approach to delivering digital services across critical life events for Nigerians.
According to the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijan, the implementation of the framework will assist the government in employing a “whole-of-government approach” and leverage the private sector’s capabilities to develop services to the public.
“The implementation of this DPI framework will enable the government to support citizens efficiently from birth to legacy, based on a platform of interoperability across all government services,” he noted.
In addition to its significance, Tijani emphasized that the paper would monitor technology applications in government in a way that breaks down barriers and separates departments or agencies, encourages collaboration and integration across different departments or agencies, and allows for seamless sharing of information and resources.
“It will also ensure that technology applications in government are designed and operated without silos while recognizing the responsibilities and mandates of various ministries, departments, and agencies of government across all tiers of government in Nigeria,” the minister added.
The DPI provides a technological innovation for access to life events by Nigerians. This stems from significant moments of life that require government support or services such as registration of births, antenatal healthcare, vaccines, school enrollment, scholarships, health insurance for business registrations, filing of taxes, etc.
Explicitly, the DPI presents the opportunity for a system design approach that enhances security transparency and catalyzes innovation to improve the quality of service delivery. DPIs enable parties to exchange data and information securely, enhancing interoperability and access to data.
DPIs also ensure data is available and reusable without compromising security or access or leading to data proliferation. It provides an unprecedented opportunity for the private sector to build valuable solutions for the public by accessing data following laid-down procedures without compromising privacy and data access.
In addition, the framework is essential to governments as it provides a foundational framework for delivering services, improving governance, and enabling economic growth. This covers efficiency in service delivery, increased accessibility and inclusivity, data-driven policy, economic growth, digital economy development, and global competitiveness.
The minister noted that Nigerians who seek more questions and clarification should send an email to [email protected].
DPI’s support for Life Events
Provided in the Digital Public Infrastructure framework is the Life Events initiative. As technology plays a vital role in enabling citizens to access government services, these services are part of the rights of citizens within a state to guarantee happiness, prosperity, and the enjoyment of life.
The federal government noted on the framework that it is on a mission to appropriately deploy digital technology to support Nigerians through these life events and profound moments so they can integrate into the state and enjoy the benefits of citizenhood from cradle to old age.
The Nigerian DPI under the Life Events will support significant landmarks such as registration of births, primary healthcare, vaccinations, student scholarships, marriages, mortgages, pensions, retirement, and so on. It will again ensure that applications used by the government to serve citizens are developed and deployed in a structured, frugal, and purposeful manner.
“A critical aspect of the transition to DPI will involve working closely with institutions to build robust frameworks for migration from legacy systems, budget planning, and budget advocacy, skill, and knowledge development to achieve a viable DPI for the benefit of a whole of government approach,” part of the framework reads.
Another essential part of Life Events includes business events that enable Nigerians to start businesses, access capital, and take advantage of government incentives. DPIs can significantly enhance the value and experience around business events.
The approach will establish a connection between vital data sets that can enhance the value of registered companies or businesses, support registration for taxes, and facilitate ease of access to various economic opportunities.
Through the Life Events plan, DPI can enhance the value of specialized sectors or create access to digital assets through the National Digital Exchange. Some of such are birth registration support services, health records management services, farmer-centric solutions, supply chain services, and access to education services.
At the core of the DPIs is the three central rails: Centralized Identity System which enables seamless access to various services so that identity verification is accurate, reliable, and easily accessible.
Others are the Centralized Payment Exchange System which facilitates the secure and efficient exchange of payments across different platforms and the Robust Data Exchange Platform which ensures data is accessible, protected, and used responsibly by government agencies to foster transparency and improve service delivery.
In all, the framework also establishes the Nigerian Digital Public Infrastructure Centre (Ng-DPIC) as the program implementation office to organize the national effort to educate, support, research, and deliver appropriate knowledge management for developing Nigeria’s DPI.
You can access the document here.
Also Read: FG replaces Remita with TMRAS as it moves to redesign revenue collection.
Technext Newsletter
Get the best of Africa’s daily tech to your inbox – first thing every morning.
Join the community now!
