The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) of Nigeria has revealed plans to create a blockchain technology solution for validating National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificates.
Kashifu Inuwa, the Director-General of NITDA, made this announcement during his Keynote address at the policy dialogue centered on implementing the National Blockchain Policy in Nigeria.
This event, titled “Driving Sustainable Economic Growth and Development through the Adoption of Blockchain Technology,” was organized by NITDA in collaboration with the Stakeholders in Blockchain Technology Association of Nigeria (SiBAN), held in Lagos, in the South-West region of Nigeria.
Inuwa emphasized the agency’s collaborative effort with the newly appointed Director-General of NYSC, Brigadier-General Yusha’u Ahmed, to tackle the issues of certificate forgery and fraudulent issuance by spearheading the development of an advanced blockchain-based certificate authentication system.
He underscored the profound impact that blockchain technology can have in revolutionizing the certificate verification process, highlighting that this initiative holds the potential to usher in an era of secure and dependable certification.
This initiative is particularly crucial in addressing the escalating concerns surrounding the proliferation of forged NYSC certificates. The NITDA Director-General explained that once fully implemented, individuals, educational institutions, and employers will have the means to effortlessly verify the legitimacy of NYSC certificates.
“The NYSC certificate has been a concern due to widespread cases of forgery and fraudulent issuance. We recognise the urgent need to combat the prevalent issue of forged NYSC certificates in Nigeria.
“By leveraging blockchain’s power, we aim to establish a secure, tamper-proof system that will enable individuals, institutions, and employers to easily verify the authenticity of NYSC certificates,” reassured Inuwa.
He called upon the pertinent authorities within the country to harness the potential of blockchain technology to overhaul the certificate verification process.
NITDA and SiBAN Collaborate with Stakeholders to Implement National Blockchain Policy
The implementation of Nigeria’s National Blockchain Policy is set to fortify the nation’s digital economy, expanding financial inclusion, security, accountability, enhancing service delivery efficiency, and generating job opportunities.
Kashifu Inuwa, the Director-General of NITDA, reiterated this standpoint during the Policy Dialogue for the Implementation of the National Blockchain Policy held in Lagos, South-West Nigeria.
In his keynote address titled “Driving Sustainable Economic Growth and Development through the Adoption of Blockchain Technology,” Inuwa underscored the significance of discussions around technology. He emphasized that Blockchain, as a decentralized technology, offers a secure method of recording and verifying information, rendering it reliable and resistant to tampering.
“As a groundbreaking advancement in the digital age, Blockchain has the potential to revolutionise our industries and could boost the global economy with US$1.76 trillion by 2030 according to research by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). As a result, Governments all over the world including Estonia, Georgia, United Arab Emirates, Switzerland, and Singapore are exploring how to leverage Blockchain technology to boost innovation, improve service delivery, create job opportunities, and drive economic growth”.
“While it is commendable that we have a Policy in place to catalyse the adoption of this ground-breaking technology and we are no more playing catch-up, the National Blockchain Policy is designed to be our roadmap for the adoption of Blockchain technology in Nigeria and its adoption presents a tremendous opportunity to promote the quality of services delivered by both public and private sectors”, assured Inuwa.
According to the NITDA leader, Nigeria is the first country in Africa to develop a Blockchain Policy. He indicated that the strategic initiative’s mission is to encourage the use, adoption, and integration of Blockchain technology across various sectors of Nigeria’s digital economy. The objective is to boost efficiency, innovation, transparency, security, and trust.
The Director-General explained that the policy identifies talent development, innovation, and adoption as the pivotal areas where the Government will collaborate with relevant stakeholders to leverage Blockchain technology’s potential in Nigeria. The focus on talent development is expected to facilitate the creation, attraction, and retention of a skilled and knowledgeable workforce within the industry, thereby promoting innovation and bolstering the competitiveness of the National Blockchain ecosystem.
Inuwa stated that the engagement’s purpose is to devise a strategy that propels the implementation, outlining the roles and responsibilities of all relevant stakeholders.
He extended appreciation to the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy for consistently providing an enabling environment and supporting the adoption of Blockchain technology in Nigeria.
Obinna Iwuno, President of the Stakeholders in Blockchain Technology Association of Nigeria (SiBAN), asserted that collaborative implementation of the National Blockchain Policy would pave the way for a Blockchain-powered economy, fostering secure transactions, data sharing, and value exchange between individuals, businesses, and the government. This, in turn, would enhance innovation, trust, growth, and prosperity for all Nigerians.
