By STELLA JOHNSON OGBOVOVEH

From Classroom to Career: FG Launches Digital ID System for Nigerian Learners

THE Federal Government has begun a nationwide system to give Nigerian students a unique and traceable academic identity.

The new National Learner Identification Number will provide each learner with a permanent number for tracking academic progress.

The Federal Ministry of Education said the system will improve the way government collects and uses education data.

Already, more than 1.9 million candidates who registered for the 2026 WAEC and NECO examinations have received LINs.

The government intends to expand the programme to learners across public and private schools.

Minister of Education Tunji Alausa described the initiative as a major shift in Nigeria’s education system.

He said the unique numbers would help authorities follow students from one stage of education to another.

Importantly, the system will retain a learner’s academic identity even when the student changes schools or relocates to another state.

That continuity could make it easier to monitor student progression.

It could also help authorities identify dropouts and children who remain outside the school system.

Beyond tracking students, the government expects the database to support examination verification and help identify learning gaps.

The LIN system also connects with the Federal Government’s Nigeria Education Data Infrastructure initiative.

NEDI aims to bring key education information into one coordinated system.

The planned database will cover students, schools, teachers, infrastructure and learning outcomes.

With more reliable information, authorities could improve education planning and target government interventions more precisely.

The system may also reduce gaps in academic records when students transfer between schools.

Ultimately, the government hopes the digital identity system will give policymakers a clearer picture of Nigeria’s education system.

For learners, it could provide a continuous academic record that remains with them as they move through the country’s education system.