Experts decry branded national ID card

Experts in constitutional law and economics have criticised the Federal Government for the imprint of a financial services company, MasterCard’s logo, on the recently introduced electronic national identity card.

MasterCard is reportedly providing the prepaid payment element, with the expectation that millions of Nigerians without bank accounts will gain access to financial services.

But a constitutional expert, Mr. Fred Agbaje, said that only the national logo was acceptable on an item of national relevance.

“If it is a national ID card, from the word ‘national,’ it should carry the Nigerian logo. Why a personalised logo? In effect, it is the company that would be given copyright (ownership) over such things. Government will then have no jurisdiction over such an item tagged ‘national.’

“You cannot say something is national and put the emblem of even one of the states of the federation on it, not to talk of a private company. What is the meaning of that? Are they doing it free of charge? If they’re doing it free of charge, is it not contractual? Why is the government cheapening the people of Nigeria?

“By carrying the national ID card with the MasterCard logo on it, they are indirectly saying I should be a means of advertising for a private company. What is my interest in the company? Am I a shareholder there? It is unconstitutional,” he said.

According to Agbaje, inasmuch as the idea of a national ID card is welcome, anything that will make it look personalised, as against nationalised, must be rejected.

He added that the imprint of a private company’s logo on a national instrument could expose Nigerians abroad to ridicule.

Similarly, the Head of Department, Economics, Obafemi Awolowo University, Prof. Abayomi Adebayo, said there was no need to place the MasterCard logo on the national ID card.

“That is part of the careless way we do things in Nigeria. A national identification must carry the logo of the country in use of it; more so that it is a national issue.

“MasterCard may be considered to be an efficient company, but having the logo on the national ID card does not make any sense to me. It will also evoke whatever meaning the logo is meant to convey when the card is carried around,” he said.

In August, President Goodluck Jonathan, formally launched the identity card, which all Nigerians are expected to have by 2019, if they want to vote.

He received the first biometric card, which might also be used to make electronic payments.