The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has clarified that Nigerians will be required to pay for the new multipurpose national identity card to ensure that it is issued solely to individuals who require it.
During a media workshop held in Lagos on Thursday, Dr. Peter Iwegbu, the Head of Card Management Services at NIMC, articulated this decision, which was made under the leadership of Engr. Bisoye Coker-Odusote.
This measure seeks to prevent a recurrence of past efforts to distribute physical cards at no charge, which resulted in a large number of uncollected cards.
Dr. Iwegbu outlined that over two million cards were produced in a preceding initiative to issue free National ID cards, yet a significant portion of these cards remains unclaimed.
He stated, “Before we ceased production due to funding limitations, we produced more than two million cards; however, many individuals did not collect them due to a lack of need.”
In addition to the collection issues, Dr. Iwegbu emphasized the government’s inability to finance the production of ID cards without a charge due to constrained revenue streams.
“We endeavored to review the entire project to ascertain the underlying problems. Primarily, the government lacks the financial resources to produce and distribute these cards free of charge.
Additionally, people need to have a genuine need for the card to ensure collection upon issuance,” he elaborated.
Supporting Dr. Iwegbu's statements, Engr. Lanre Yusuf, the Director of IT at NIMC, remarked that while the initial concept of a complimentary national ID card presented by the National Assembly was commendable, its implementation did not achieve the desired outcome, as numerous individuals neglected to collect the cards.
“The current approach consists of a post-paid identity card; individuals must express a need for the card before initiating the payment process. Upon payment, they can select a preferred location for card collection,” he explained. “Individuals cannot minimally engage in these processes and subsequently disregard their cards.”
Dr. Iwegbu further noted that the government has established various programs to ensure that disadvantaged Nigerians, who may lack the financial means to pay for the card, can still obtain it to access government services.
He indicated that the multipurpose cards would be launched within a few weeks, as sample test cards had been received recently. Moreover, NIMC has decentralized the application and collection process by partnering with banks across the country, facilitating individuals' ability to request the card at their nearest bank.
NIMC Establishment and Its Significance Role to Nigerians
The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) is a statutory organization in Nigeria responsible for managing the country's national identity management systems.
Established by the NIMC Act No. 23 of 2007, the commission's mandate encompasses the creation, operation, and management of Nigeria's national identity card database, integration of existing identity databases across government institutions, registration of individuals and legal residents, assignment of unique national identification numbers, and the introduction of multifunctional cards.
The conception of a national identity card system dates back to 1977; however, the initiative did not materialize at that time. A new scheme was initiated in 2003 and managed by the Directorate of National Civic Registration (DNCR), resulting in the registration of approximately 54 million Nigerians.
Unfortunately, this earlier effort failed to meet official expectations and faced challenges, including allegations of corruption and embezzlement of funds. The NIMC became operational in 2010, supported by an initial budget appropriation of approximately 30 billion Naira in the 2011 federal budget. The commission subsequently entered into an agreement with the National Database & Registration Authority of Pakistan to develop computerized national identity cards for Nigerian citizens.
Additionally, it partneredagreede led by Chams Nigeria and another, the OneSecureCard consortium, which includes Interswitch, SecureID, and Iris Technologies, to provide data capture services. In March 2024, the commission unequivocally denied circulating reports regarding a data breach allegedly perpetrated by a shadowy entity known as XpressVerify.
The NIMC commenced its enrollment exercise in September 2010, leading to the issuance of a multipurpose card in 2013. The identity card, available to Nigerians aged sixteen and above or those who have resided in the country for two or more years at the time of enrollment, requires an identification document bearing a photograph, such as a driver's license or an international passport.
The identity card features a National Identity Number, two photographs of the cardholder, and an embedded chip that contains the biometric information of the holder. Furthermore, the commission collaborated with MasterCard to incorporate a prepaid element into the card, allowing it to function as an ATM card at MasterCard-certified ATMs.
The recently introduced General Multipurpose Card (GMPC) by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) consolidates multiple functions within a single platform, incorporating payment and governmental services. This integration streamlines identity verification processes by replacing various forms of identification, and applicants can submit their applications online, at NIMC offices, or through banking institutions.