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A contactless biometric capture system for Nigerian passport applicants initiated by the federal government has gone live for citizens residing in Canada, according to the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS).

The project has gone underway at a time when the Nigerian government has been warned about the risk of handing biometric data capture and management tasks to foreign third-party entities.

The mobile application dubbed NIS Contactless Biometrics App, which enables the remote capture of face and fingerprint biometrics for passport renewal applicants, launched in Canada on November 1. The app can be downloaded from Play store or Appstore.

Authorities say the service will be available for Nigerians in the United Kingdom, United States and Italy on November 15, while the rollout in Nigeria and all other parts of the world will happen on December 1.

The NIS has explained details of the new mobile application launch and the process for using it in an X thread.

To use the app, an applicant needs to register as a new user, before initiating a passport renewal application. Once the application process is initiated, they are required to input their NIN to autofill their biographic data. Then, they can proceed to biometric capture with contactless option. Choosing a digital payment option and completing the payment is the last stage of the application process.

The contactless biometric passport application system finally goes operational after several months of preparation fronted by the NIS and the Ministry of Interior.

Last month, Interior Minister, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, held a working session with various stakeholders to finalize work on the launch of the initiative.

There have been complaints by some early users of the system in Canada, with some saying the app is too heavy, and others claiming they encountered trust issues with the app on Play store.

Nigerians in Diaspora Commission lauds initiative

As the project launches, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has already expressed gratitude to the Interior Minister and his collaborators for making this a reality.

The Chairperson/CEO of NiDCOM, Dr Abike Dabiri-Erewa, is quoted by Voice of Nigeria as saying the move is a response to Nigerians living aboard who had long called for an improvement in the passport application process.

“Advocacy is at the heart of NiDCOM’s work. We are prepared to collaborate fully with the Ministry of Interior and the Nigeria Immigration Service to ensure that Nigerians in the Diaspora are well informed about these developments and continue to be a bridge between Nigeria and its diaspora,” the NiDCOM Chairperson said during a meeting with Tunji-Ojo.

Outsourcing biometric capture is risky

As Nigeria pursues its digital transformation projects, the government has to beware of the kind of deals it srikes when it comes to biometric data management.

This is the caution from the Secretary General of the African Regional Organization of the International Trade Union Conference (ITUC-Africa), Joel Odigie, per The Guardian.

In a letter to Tunji-Ojo, Odigie advises that the government must retake full control of biometric data management which is vital for the safety and security of citizens.

Concerns about visa-on-arrival system addressed

The visa-on-arrival system of the Nigerian government faced some hitches last month, but the NIS has assured that things have come back to normal. In a statement, the NIS said the challenges were linked to an upgrade on the digital payment platforms by some financial institutions. It said all platforms of the service are fully functional, and that people could apply for visas from the comfort of their homes.