Echotitbits – Nigeria News

Tag: Chams Plc

  • I’M Alive Mobile Verification App Set to Ease Nigerian Pension Administration

    I’M Alive Mobile Verification App Set to Ease Nigerian Pension Administration

    A technology approach to solving some of the challenges faced in pension administration has been introduced with the development of I’M Alive, a pensioner verification solution by Chams Plc.

    The Group Managing Director (GMD) of Chams Plc, Gavin Young, at an interactive session with journalists on Monday, at the firm’s corporate headquarters in Victoria Island, Lagos, said the solution, which is a mobile application, is designed to ease verification processes for both pension administrators and pensioners.

    The I’M Alive solution, according to the Lagos based firm will verify pensioners remotely in the comfort of their homes using a facial biometric mobile app that facilitates quick and easy verification for both government and private pensioners, and provides pension administrators with comprehensive reporting to ultimately facilitate pension payments.

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    In his remark while explaining the impact, Young noted that the I’M Alive solution would go a long way towards solving a major process-intensive hurdle for the Pension Industry.

    “For both pensioners and pension payers, I’m Alive solution is convenient, saves time & money, easy-to-use, less administrative bottle neck and headaches. The Solution is fully equipped with features that will make life easy for pensioners as it is supported by Artificial Intelligence which will detect liveliness and authenticate the Pensioner for payment processing.

    “The app and pensioner are not linked to a particular phone number or mobile handset. Any smartphone with a functionality that aides selfie alignment and lighting quality can be used, ensuring a higher success rate for pensioners using the app.

    The firm’s GMD expressed confidence about the security of the application noting that it cannot be hacked, stressing that no third party can impersonate a registered and verified pensioner on the app.

    “Every data is encrypted and it cannot be copied. In addition, Chams Plc adheres to data protection compliance regulations as specified by NITDA”, he stated.

    Speaking on the sustainability of the solution, Young admitted that while the priority for now is to solve the basic problems of inconvenience and overhead cost associated with the current physical presence verification, the mobile verification app solution can still do a lot more. He added that more features such as linking payment to the app could come later.

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    The GMD, giving further explanation on the product said “the design had in mind users that are not tech savvy and in the remote areas as pensioners don’t have to be tech-savvy to use the app as it is user friendly and has detailed explanations, including the ability to work in an offline mode.

    “The verification can be done on any smartphone, owned by anybody. Once you have your BVN & retiree number ready, it takes less than three minutes as verification is real-time.

    “Through this product, Chams has continued to expand operations through strategic partnerships and innovative products and solutions that are tailored to the Nigerian and African Markets” Young said.

    Earlier this year, Chams Plc, a Nigerian company of over 35years experience at providing digital solutions across a broad range of customer segments in Nigeria embarked upon a new vision and strategy that focuses on consumer-facing innovative digital solutions that are mobile phone based and not only beneficial to Nigerians but the greater African market.

    By Tobiloba Kolawole

  • Giants of Industry: Gavin Young, GMD/CEO, Chams Plc

    Giants of Industry: Gavin Young, GMD/CEO, Chams Plc

    “The days of expecting Government to enrol all Nigerians to a national ID database through Government managed infrastructure, has already come and gone.”

    In this first issue of Giants of Industry, the Group Managing Director/CEO of Chams PLC, Gavin Young speaks with Echotitbits’ Tobiloba Kolawole about the National Identity Number (NIN) program.

    Prior to assuming the position of GMD/CEO of Chams Plc, a leading provider of integrated identity management and identity and payments transactional systems, Gavin Young since 2009, has worked (on a full-time and part-time basis) with the Chams Plc Group of Companies as Managing Director of ChamsSwitch and Deputy managing Director of Chams Mobile, among other roles.

    His career cuts across 20 years at First National Bank of South Africa, seven years at Visa as Country Manager, sub-Saharan Africa. In 2007, he joined UBA as Senior General Manager, Cards.

    Data as Bedrock for Efficient Public Service.

    Correct and accurate data of individuals, linked to either BVN or NIN is absolutely essential to ensure that services and benefits are provided correctly, in an audited and transparent way, to those that require the benefit or service. Although BVN and NIN form the backbone of an individual’s identity, additional information from individuals is required for various purposes where BVN and NIN fields may not cater for information for specific purposes.

    The BVN as Financial Enabler

    BVN has an added advantage, in that it serves as an enabler for financial inclusion and therefore, both comprehensive data and an electronic means of receiving and spending funds are both very important. In addition, once a person has a BVN number, for which you don’t need to open an account, one also obtains a NIN number, negating the need to also enrol fully for a NIN.

    Chams Group is working closely with Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) to expand the number of BVNs in Nigeria this year, as this Covid-19 pandemic has made this an urgent priority, particularly across the private sector. NIBSS has recently introduced an enrolment app linked to a fingerprint scanner, which makes it a lot easier and more efficient to enrol the masses.

    A Case for Private Sector Driven National Identity Programme

    In my opinion, we shouldn’t be relying on Government to deliver on their NIN enrolment ambitions. It should really be up to the private sector to perform this role with NIBSS, then simply have that data also ported to NIMC for the issuance of a BVN. I’m sure that the private sector would be far more efficient at performing this data collection role and also expanding financial services and other benefits through capturing additional data.

    Given the current oil price, pressure on foreign reserves and the need to support people over these difficult times, I don’t believe that Government should also be expected to provide funding for a mass NIN enrolment service, when this can be private sector led with very little cost to Government. This is one of the ways private sector can further support Government and the people of Nigeria over these challenging times.

    NIMC and the Struggles of NIN Enrolment

    Well, it’s not for me to speak for NIMC and why the majority of student and adult Nigerians have not been enrolled to the National Identity program. However, it is right that they remain the custodians of a true national ID program. However, as mentioned before, it’s enrolment of the masses to that program that has presented a challenge for Government.

    However, I am very optimistic that the private sector, and companies such as Chams PLC, in partnership with NIBSS, will expand BVN enrolments significantly this year and next. Banks have also been playing an important role from inception of the BVN program. I am very optimistic that with the technology now in place, that over 100 million Nigerians would be enrolled before the end of 2021. I believe it’s a very realistic target because it’s private sector led.

    I believe that Mobile telecommunications companies will also step-up BVN enrolment initiatives so that they could achieve their financial inclusion ambitions in the informal sector.

    In summary, the days of expecting Government to enrol all Nigerians to a national ID database through Government managed infrastructure, has already come and gone. Private sector will now assist to achieve this for the benefit of all Nigerians, whilst meeting NIN criteria from which many Government agencies and the people they serve, would also benefit.