The Federal Government has announced intentions to introduce face recognition technology at key airports around the commonwealth.
The Honourable Minister of State, Budget and National Planning, Clem Agba, made this known on Wednesday when he received the Japanese Ambassador to Nigeria, Matsunaga Kazuyoshi, and a team from NEC Corporation, an information technology business in Abuja.
He noted that the technology which will be implemented via grant agreements between the Nigerian Government and the Japanese Government, would readily identify impostors and boost security at airports.
He also asked for the collaboration of all key parties, saying that face recognition had shown to be highly efficient internationally in safeguarding airports.
According to a statement signed by the Finance Ministry Information Officer, Olude Omolade, the minister vowed to guarantee its deployment at the Lagos and Abuja international airports in the pilot phase before the initiative would be expanded to Port Harcourt, Enugu and Kano airports.
Agba stated, “I am glad that the series of talks, which began in January this year in Tokyo on this initiative aimed at identifying the faces of individuals who travel through our international airports have begun to show results.
“This, we feel, will further reinforce the security of our people and the nation as a whole. This initiative was designed in consideration of many security problems and the necessity to nip these rising worries in the bud.”
The minister also noted that as part of the prerequisites for the installation process, he would be taking the ambassador and the team on a site inspection tour to Lagos and Abuja airports for essential evaluations.
Speaking during his welcoming speech, Japanese Ambassador to Nigeria, Matsunaga Kazuyoshi, emphasized that the deployment of innovative technology would guarantee that security concerns were decreased in and around Nigerian airports.
The initiative, he said, would further strengthen the country’s security architecture and encourage more investment opportunities in different sectors of Nigeria’s economy, citing the instance of a similar project implemented in Nairobi, Kenya, and how the project changed Kenya’s security narratives.
He claimed that the security system works via picture capture methods, Neo Face Watch Logging in, live view, widgets and dashboard, face search and image management and simple settings.
“In all, we aim to comprehensively help the Nigerian Government to strengthen security, and social cohesion and encourage better migration management via the use of technology and installation of CCTV cameras at important places,” the Japanese Ambassador stated.
Stakeholders present at the meeting include officials of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, the Nigerian Immigration Service and the Nigerian Police Force.6
