Abuja: An Economist and Data Analyst, Mr. Daramola Omoyele, has advised the Federal Government to harmonise the multiple identification numbers in operation in the country. Omoyele, a Chartered Accountant with a Master's Degree in Economics and Data Analytics, said this in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Omoyele spoke following the recent Nigeria Tax Administration Act 2025, which mandates every taxable Nigerian to acquire a Tax Identification Number (TIN) before operating a bank account from January 2026. This comes after President Bola Tinubu signed four tax reform bills into law on June 26, set to be effective from January 1, 2026. These bills include the Nigeria Tax Bill, the Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Bill.
Omoyele explained that the reform's motive is to expand Nigeria's tax base and strengthen compliance, noting that Nigeria's tax-to-Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ratio is one of the lowest in Africa, making the push for non-oil revenue crucial. However, he expressed concerns about potential confusion among citizens, who are already overwhelmed by numerous identification systems.
He highlighted that Nigerians currently manage multiple identity numbers, such as the Bank Verification Number (BVN) for banking, National Identity Number (NIN) for national identification, and now TIN for taxes. Other existing identification numbers include account numbers, voter's card, passport number, driver's license, and Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) registration details.
Omoyele emphasized the need for a single and unified identification system, arguing that each agency continues to build its own system, forcing citizens to juggle multiple numbers with little coordination across databases. He questioned the need for an additional identification number for tax purposes when Nigerians already possess BVN and NIN.
He pointed out the irony of Nigeria already having the components of a single digital identity, with the NIN meant to serve as the master ID for all citizens and the BVN capturing biometric and financial data for millions of bank customers. Omoyele warned that rather than simplifying the identification system, the new TIN requirement introduces another barrier for millions of unbanked Nigerians, risking deepened financial exclusion.
Drawing comparisons with other countries, Omoyele advised Nigeria to emulate systems like India's Aadhaar number, used across taxation, banking, telecoms, and social benefits, and South Africa's national ID, which works seamlessly across voting, banking, and taxation. He suggested that the NIN should be the universal identity number with BVN, TIN, and other records linked to it at the backend.
The expert warned that without harmonisation of the identification system, Nigeria would face challenges such as the exclusion of more citizens from banking and financial services, inconsistent records across multiple systems, and wasteful resource allocation. He added that the multiple identification systems could also reduce trust among citizens, who may lose faith in government initiatives due to registration fatigue.
Omoyele concluded by urging Nigeria to stop building silos and start developing systems that communicate with each other, stating that one number is sufficient. He stressed that if the NIN becomes the central identity, linked seamlessly with tax, banking, telecoms, and other services, citizens will enjoy simpler, cheaper, and more reliable access to government and financial services. He emphasized that while the new TIN law is well-intentioned, it risks worsening an already complex identification system and that Nigeria should prioritise data harmonisation over multiplication.