NIMC Gives Date Nigerians Will Begin To Use New National Domestic Card With Payment Feature

NIMC Gives Date Nigerians Will Begin To Use New National Domestic Card With Payment Feature

  • The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) said Nigerians will soon begin to use the new national domestic card
  • The commission had earlier stated that the card will be available for holders of the National Identification Number (NIN)
  • The card is expected to be use for different purposes which include to make payments and identifications

Legit.ng journalist Dave Ibemere has over a decade of business journalism experience with in-depth knowledge of the Nigerian economy, stocks, and general market trends.

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has revealed that Nigerians will begin utilising the services of the proposed national domestic card from August 2024.

The card is expected to be launched in partnership with the NIMC and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and powered by the Nigeria Inter-bank Settlement System (NIBBS) and AfriGo.

Read also

SEC issues new guideline to cryptocurrency dealers, give 30 days window to meet directive

Nigerians NIMC multipurpose card
Nigerians to start using multipurpose card from August Photo credit: ljubaphoto
Source: Getty Images

Punch reports that commission had been working tirelessly to meet its goals, adding that the plan remains on track and would be launched in the upcoming months.

An official quoted confirmed ongoing efforts towards the deployment of a new technology, targeting completion between July and August despite minor delays.

He said:

"We actually plan for July although there have been a few delays, but we are still hopeful that it would come in July.
"So we are hoping to get it done between July and August. We are still on plan and if there is any shift, the public will know."

The official explained the complexities involved in rolling out the new technology, highlighting the need for thorough preparations.

"When you are deploying a new technology, there is a lot of work to be done.

Read also

Germany's coalition in impasse over 2025 budget

"You need to configure the card, enable the outlet, and enable the wallet to work. We also have to do tests and that is what is ongoing
"The deployment is ongoing, the portal that people need to access the service has to be deployed, and we have to make sure that it is scalable and those are the ongoing works.
"There are integrations that all the banks need to do to enable the card and all of those little details are ongoing. We have that target and we are working extra hard to make sure that we achieve that.

The NIN multipurpose card to drive financial inclusion

In an earlier report by Legit.ng, NIMC said Nigerians with a National Identification Number will soon request a National ID card with payment features for financial and social services.

The commission announced that the card would be launched in collaboration with the NIMC and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), utilizing the Nigeria Inter-bank Settlement System (NIBBS) and AfriGo for its operations.

Read also

Minimum wage: Tinubu’s FG discloses actual amount it is willing to pay Nigerian workers, knocks NLC

According to a statement by NIMC’s Head of Corporate Communications, Kayode Adegoke, the National ID card, containing verifiable national identity features, is supported by the NIMC Act No. 23 of 2007. This act mandates the NIMC to enroll and issue a general multipurpose card to Nigerians and legal residents.

FG Directs banks to issue new debit cards with NIN

Legit.ng earlier reported that the Federal Government has directed Nigerian banks and other financial institutions to issue new debit cards to customers with National Identification Numbers (NIN).

The new card will withdraw money from Automatic Teller Machines and serve as a national identity card for Nigerians.

The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, announced the directive during a press briefing following the valedictory Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Dave Ibemere avatar

Dave Ibemere (Senior Business Editor) Dave Ibemere is a senior business editor at Legit.ng. He is a financial journalist with over a decade of experience in print and online media. He also holds a Master's degree from the University of Lagos. He is a member of the African Academy for Open-Source Investigation (AAOSI), the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations and other media think tank groups. He previously worked with The Guardian, BusinessDay, and headed the business desk at Ripples Nigeria. Email: dave.ibemere@corp.legit.ng.