No More Free ID: NIMC says Nigerians Will Pay for Multipurpose National Identity Card
- National Identity Management Commission has said Nigerians will now pay for the new multipurpose identity card
- NIMC's head claimed that by paying for the identity card, it would be ensured that only those who needed it would receive one
- He said that customers would be able to walk into any bank in their neighborhood and ask for the card
Legit.ng journalist Zainab Iwayemi has 5-year-experience covering the Economy, Technology, and Capital Market.
Nigerians will have to pay for the new multipurpose national identity card because of the government's limited revenue, the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has said.
Source: UGC
Peter Iwegbu, NIMC's head of card management services said this during a two-day news conference in Lagos on Thursday was
Paying for the identity card, according to Iwegbu, would guarantee that it was issued to only those who required it.
According to him, the choice was made to avoid making the same mistakes as previous attempts to give away free physical cards to Nigerians, which many did not receive.
The NIMC official said the commission had previously attempted to provide free national ID cards, producing over two million cards.
According to him, a large number of them have not yet been collected.
“Before we stopped due to funding, we produced more than two million cards but a lot of them are still in our office, people were not able to pick them up because they didn’t need it,” Iwegbu said.
Iwegbu claimed that in addition to the low collection, the government's inadequate revenue prevented it from funding the creation of ID cards.
“The government’s limited revenue is also a major factor in the decision to make Nigerians pay for the new ID card,” he added.
He noted that people would be able to walk into any bank in their area and seek the card because NIMC is also collaborating with banks nationwide.
Plans for those who can’t afford
Speaking as well, NIMC's director of information technology, Lanre Yusuf, stated that the concept of a free national ID card had not worked out in the past.
According to Yusuf, the new ID card is a post-paid identity card, meaning that people must need it before they can apply for it.
“To get the new national ID card, Nigerians will need to make a payment, select a pickup location, and then collect their card from the chosen location,” the director said.
“The government has implemented programmes to make the card accessible to the less privileged Nigerians who cannot afford it but require it to access government support.
“This initiative demonstrates the government’s commitment to inclusivity and equality.”
Yusuf added that sample test cards have already been received and that the multipurpose ID cards should appear soon.
“The new national ID card is a multipurpose card that can serve the purpose of identity verification, payments, and even government services,” he said.
How to update date of birth, other NIN details
Legit.ng reported that the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) had introduced a new online self-service modifications portal, allowing Nigerians to update their National Identification Number (NIN) details from the comfort of their homes.
The platform enables users to modify personal information such as their name, phone number, date of birth, and address, simplifying the process and reducing the need for in-person visits to NIMC offices.
While the service provides convenience, there are associated fees for certain updates.
Source: Legit.ng
