Over the years, Nigeria has been faced with the challenges of collating accurate database that could assist its economic, social and political growth. But, the challenges of putting together such an accurate figure which range from the fears by the citizens that such is tied to tax payment, political sentiments (that disbursement of states funds will be affected). Others include inadequate funds from the governments to carry out the exercise, inability to go into hinterlands and insufficient training for the enumerators, have mired such efforts and stalled development. However, the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) created recently is poised to tackle the challenge head on with ChamsCity by its side. In 1952/53, Nigeria’s population was put at 31.6 million. Post independent, an official figure released from another attempt in 1963 which was also laden with charges of inaccuracy and allegations of over counting in many areas, was 55.6 million. This figure was considered inconsistent with the decade earlier exercise because, according to reports, it implies a virtually impossible annual growth rate of 5.8 per cent.

In 1973, another attempt was made, but cancelled in the face of wide spread controversy. A more holistic approach to reduce possible controversy was taken in 1991 when a census was conducted in 250,000 enumeration areas by the National population Commission with offices in each local government area with supervisors from outside the state, but, still, the need to have another conducted in 2006, an exercise considered to be a bigger sham as not everybody was counted. The same hullabaloo trailed the National Identity Card project which was awarded to Sagem although it came fifth in the bidding process conducted under the regime of former President Obasanjo, it got the contract but could not deliver its mandate. Chams Plc which came first in the bidding but was ousted, sued, and was eventually settled out of court with a go ahead to run the project. Chams is thus using its ChamsCity e-platform to collate a more credible database for the NIMC which is going to be the custodian of the data as soon as it is ready, the General Manager of ChamsCity, Mr Sola Bickersteth told The Nation at the weekend. He said the NIMC which took over from the Department of National Civic Registration (DNCR), has the mandate to produce such a database on a general multi-purpose data card which encompass all database citizenry require. That is, a basic bio-data identification which will carry the likes of Blood Group, fingerprints, pictures, eyes details and also ensure access to services as pension fund, health insurance, insurance policy, Driver’s license and bank account, among others.

ChamsCity is thus charged with conducting the enrolment of the citizenry as soon as the commission is ready to take off the project, an exercise thought to have commenced last month. To give strength to the initiative, ChamsCity will be across 30 states across the federation. Each of the centres will come with the standard 1,000 networked Apple computer units. Lagos will have four of such centres in: Ojuelegba, Lekki, Apapa and the one on the Isaac John in Ikeja which cost N1.2 billion. The first center in Abuja to be commissioned this month is located at the Central Business District, with another to follow suite on Area 3. Bickersteth said the Ibadan centre is also nearing completion and then Port Harcourt will be added in no time. The Executive Vice chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Mr Ernest Ndukwe, and the CEO of Chams Mr Demola Aladekomo, said this is the beginning of another revolution in Nigeria as it will complement and advance the strides the country has made in telecommunication. Aladekomo said: "We are starting a revolution in ICT. We are trying to contribute our quota to network development and for us to achieve our mission statement, what we do wi‘ll affect humanity and global technology. The malls are in response to Nigeria’s need for facilities that can be used for identity registration and information processing." On why Chams decided on Apple computer systems against the locally produced ones at the centres, Bickersteth said: "The systems are integrated systems; the entire computer is in the screen; that is, the screen embodies the hard disk, motherboard, power pack and other peripherals. You will notice that you could only sight few cables around when you entered the centre; Apple is one of the very few manufacturers in the world that manufactures this type of systems, even, the HP that recently launched same design, does not have it in the Nigerian market yet. "We also have to focus on world’s standard, the best you can find. These types of systems make management easier."

But, data collation for the national database is not all the ChamsCity, acclaimed to be the biggest cyber center-yet in the world, is out to address. "In two years time, part of what we are also expecting is that people will begin to use the platform to conduct exams such as JAMB. The set-up can allow for personalized questions in such a way that questions can be joggled to ensure that students have no basis to cheat as question number one could be another candidate’s question number 10. "Besides, even snapshots can be taken every five minutes to see how the students are doing. With such a platform, there would be no need to distribute papers again and the result can be obtained right on the spot. "In addition, students can also come around to prepare for their exams like SSCE and JSCE are already on the network. They can practice Mathematics and English and the centre can reward them with free 30 minutes airtime if they spend up to two hours." The centre is equipped with Blackboard software which allows the lecturer to present its lectures on-line and track its activities. Individuals are not shot out; they can make use of the center’s facilities provided they are ready to subject their bio-data, pictures, fingerprints and phone numbers which in turn grant them access using unique identification numbers.

With this kind of security, cyber crime is being fenced off.

- The Nation)