On 16th September 2025, the National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS) had the honour of attending the National Identity Day Event through a special invitation by the Director-General of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC). This year’s theme, “PKI – Backbone to Digital Public Infrastructure,” is both timely and profound. Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) is not merely an esoteric cybersecurity term; it is the invisible nervous system of digital governance.
The event which took place at Bola Ahmed Tinubu international conference centre Abuja, provided a unique opportunity for us to reflect on the significance of identity how it defines who we are today and shapes who we aspire to become as individuals and as a nation.
Long before this day, NAPS has followed with admiration and pride; the excellent performance of the Director-General of NIMC. Her visionary leadership and transformative reforms in the identity management sector have restored public confidence and created a more responsive, digitally driven institution, perfectly aligned with the Renewed Hope Agenda of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR.
In line with our already established relationship and partnership engagements with NIMC an agency whose services directly and indirectly affect our students across the 36 States and the FCT, My administration, has been advocating for the establishment of permanent NIN registration centres on all tertiary institutions and secondary school campuses to make enrollment and verification more accessible to students, especially for examination and national verification purposes.
It is against this backdrop that the NAPS Presidency resolved to confer on her an honorary induction as the “Grand Matron of NAPS.” This induction, carried out at the event, symbolises a covenant of mentorship, advocacy, partnership, and mutual accountability between the Nigerian Polytechnic Students’ Community and the custodian of our National Identity Framework.
Speaking at the event during the presentation, I stated that:
“Our induction of the DG of NIMC as Grand Matron is more than a ceremonial act; it is a testament to our shared commitment to national identity, digital innovation, and the welfare of Nigerian students. We see in her leadership a beacon of accountability and service, and we reaffirm our advocacy for permanent NIN centres across all tertiary institutions and secondary school campuses. Together, we are laying the foundation for a future where every Nigerian student’s identity is secure, accessible, and globally recognized.”
Signed:
Comr. Eshiofune Paul Oghayan GCNPS (SHOPRITE)
President, NAPS
