Can NRBVN Be Used for Diaspora Census?

 

Can NRBVN Be Used for Diaspora Census? A New Frontier in Nigeria’s Global Identity Strategy. Counting Citizens Beyond Borders. In every nation's quest for progress, the census serves as a compass. It tells governments how many people they have, where they are, how they live, and what they need. In Nigeria, census efforts have historically centered on physical territory enumerating the people who reside within its 36 states and the FCT. But in an era of globalization and large-scale migration, there’s an entire dimension left largely unmeasured: the Nigerian diaspora.

According to the World Bank and African Development Bank, over 15 million Nigerians live abroad. NRBVN Be Used for Diaspora Census. They send billions in remittances, build bridges between Nigeria and foreign economies, and shape global narratives about their homeland. Yet, they remain invisible in the national census.

Can NRBVN Be Used for Diaspora Census?

Can NRBVN Be Used for Diaspora Census. Enter the Non-Resident Bank Verification Number (NRBVN) an identity framework initially designed for remote banking that may hold the key to counting Nigerians across the world. This article explores a provocative idea: Can NRBVN be used for a diaspora census?

What makes NRBVN unique

How it already captures vital diaspora data

The feasibility of repurposing it for census objectives

Ethical, legal, and technical considerations

A vision for what a diaspora census using NRBVN might look like

This isn't a technical manual—it's a nation-building conversation.

1. What Is NRBVN and Why Was It Created?

A. Origins: From Exclusion to Inclusion

In 2014, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) launched the Bank Verification Number (BVN) system to combat fraud and create a unified identity across the banking sector. However, it soon became clear that millions of Nigerians living abroad couldn’t enroll because biometric capture was only available within Nigeria.

This led to the creation of the Non-Resident BVN (NRBVN)—a version of the BVN tailored for diaspora citizens. It allowed Nigerians to enroll from abroad, using their international passport and capturing biometrics through certified partners or embassies.

NRBVN gave diaspora Nigerians access to:

Nigerian bank accounts

Remittance services

Diaspora-targeted investments

But in doing so, it also created something else: a verified database of Nigerian citizens living outside the country. And that’s where its census potential begins.

2. What Makes NRBVN a Powerful Data Tool?

Let’s unpack what NRBVN already does:

A. Unique Identity

Every NRBVN is tied to an individual's:

Full name

Date of birth

Country of residence

Biometric data (fingerprints and facial image)

Phone number and email

Valid international passport

It is arguably more secure than a traditional voter register.

B. Diaspora-Focused Enrollment

Unlike the regular BVN, NRBVN is only issued to:

Nigerians residing abroad

Those with documented proof of foreign address

Individuals using embassies or diaspora registration partners

This means that by design, NRBVN excludes residents in Nigeria—making it an ideal filter for a diaspora-specific data set.

C. Centralized Verification

NRBVNs are processed through the Nigerian Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS)—a secure, centralized entity that connects all Nigerian banks and regulators. NIBSS makes data easily accessible to authorized government agencies (with due process).

Imagine a digital dashboard where every NRBVN holder is plotted across global coordinates—that’s the starting point of a diaspora census.

3. What Is a Census, and What Does Nigeria Need?

A. Traditional Census Goals

A census answers fundamental questions:

How many people are in a country?

What are their ages, genders, jobs?

Where do they live?

What services do they need?

B. Why a Diaspora Census Matters

The diaspora represents:

$24 billion in annual remittances

Untapped tax potential

Future voters (if diaspora voting is implemented)

Key stakeholders in development

But today, Nigeria doesn’t know:

How many Nigerians live in Canada vs. Italy

What age groups dominate the diaspora

Which professions or skills they hold

How many diaspora children identify as Nigerian

This information is crucial for:

Policy planning

Investment drives

Healthcare forecasting

National security

Dual citizenship frameworks

And yet, there is no centralized, updated diaspora registry. That’s a national blind spot NRBVN might fix.

4. Can NRBVN Technically Support a Diaspora Census?

Yes, and here’s how.

A. Built-In Identity Control

Every NRBVN:

Is uniquely tied to a human being (via biometrics)

Cannot be duplicated

Has timestamps and updates

It’s already de-duplicated, meaning that if one person tries to register twice, the system flags it.

B. Distributed Geographic Data

Because applicants submit proof of residence, the database can segment users by country, city, and even neighborhood. NRBVN data can be sorted by:

Country of issuance

Embassy location

Registration channel

Payment history (e.g., diaspora bond purchases)

This forms the foundation of a geographic diaspora map.

C. Expandability

The NRBVN system could easily include custom fields during enrollment or re-verification:

Profession

Educational level

Marital status

Household members

Second nationality

In other words, NRBVN could evolve into a multi-dimensional census tool without changing its core.

5. Legal and Ethical Dimensions

A. Consent and Data Use

To repurpose NRBVN for census purposes, informed consent must be gathered. Users should be told:

What their data will be used for

How it will be protected

That participation supports national planning

Fortunately, because NRBVN already includes financial data, users are accustomed to high privacy standards.

B. Inclusion vs. Surveillance

Some diaspora Nigerians may worry about being tracked. It’s important that NRBVN not be used for punitive purposes (e.g., taxation or immigration enforcement), but rather developmental goals.

Clear boundaries must be set:

No cross-sharing with foreign governments without legal process

No use of NRBVN to enforce loyalty tests

Strict cyber protections under Nigerian data laws

6. What a Diaspora Census Using NRBVN Could Look Like

Phase 1: Data Extraction

Pull existing NRBVN records from NIBSS

Remove duplicates and expired entries

Map by country, age, gender

Phase 2: Outreach Campaign

Embassy-led campaigns encouraging diaspora citizens to update their NRBVNs

Add optional census questions during updates

Encourage unregistered diaspora members to enroll

Phase 3: Dashboard Launch

A secure government portal displaying aggregate data

Filters by country, age group, profession

Updated in real time

Phase 4: Policy Integration

Use data to influence diaspora voting plans

Match skills data with national job gaps

Allocate diaspora-focused healthcare and housing policies

Adjust consular staffing based on population data

7. Potential Benefits to Citizens and Country

A. Citizens

Stronger voice in governance

Better consular services abroad

Pathways for diaspora-focused pensions, healthcare, and loans

More targeted immigration support

B. Nigeria

Real-time understanding of its global population

Improved diaspora remittance systems

Accurate representation in global forums (e.g., World Bank data)

Policy rooted in evidence, not estimates

8. Challenges and Solutions

ChallengeSolutionLimited awareness of NRBVNEmbassy-led media campaignsLow registration infrastructurePartner with diaspora groups, fintechs, and embassiesData protection concernsEnforce Nigeria Data Protection Act compliancePolitical misuse fearsIndependent oversight board for census implementationFunding constraintsUse diaspora bonds and remittance levy for project cost 

9. A Global Model in the Making

If Nigeria successfully uses NRBVN for a diaspora census, it becomes the first African country to create a biometric-based, financial-verified, globally inclusive population record.

Other nations will follow:

Ghana with its diaspora ID program

Kenya with Huduma Namba

India with Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) tools

This could be Nigeria’s digital identity export.

Nrbvn Reimagining National Identity Beyond Borders

In the coming decades, more Nigerians will be born, raised, and educated abroad. Yet they will still call Nigeria “home.” The definition of a Nigerian must evolve not just someone with a passport, but someone with a verified, inclusive, and secure link to their heritage.

NRBVN is not just a banking tool it’s a quiet revolution in citizenship. It holds the power to let Nigeria count, serve, and understand its global family.

And with visionary leadership, it could become the foundation of the first full-scale diaspora census in Africa counting not just people, but possibilities.