Payment for National e-ID Card begins in 2022 – NIMC

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), says payment for issuance of National Identity Card would begin in 2022.

NIMC Director General Mr Aliyu Aziz, said this at the lunch time reform seminar on National Digital Identity Ecosystem Strategic Road Map for enrollment of Nigerians and legal residents into National Identity Database (NIDB) in Abuja on Thursday.

The event was organised by the Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR) in collaboration with NIMC.

Aziz urged Nigerians to make use of the opportunity to get registered and have an identity.

He said the National e-ID Card can only be issued to Nigerians registered into the national identity system and legal residents who have attained the age of 16 years and above, unlike the National Identification Number (NIN) which is assignable to Nigerians only.

The NIMC boss said the e-ID card can be used for identification, payment and other applications in Nigeria.

According to him, the e-ID card will integrate existing identity database into government institutions and enable everyone to also receive a multipurpose ID card.

“As a government, we recognise the huge importance of moving towards a digital government therefore, we must embrace and harness the potentials inherent in digital identity to build and develop our country.

“Nations all over the world and in particular, developed countries have utilised identity as foundation to transforming governance and enhancing service delivery in the areas of healthcare, agriculture, voting, transportation, financial inclusion, access to basic service and welfare programmes,” he said.

Aziz assured Nigerians that no one would be denied government services on account of not having the National Identity Number (NIN).

“The mandatory enrollment or collection of data by government agencies or licensed agents, along with private sector organisations to be licensed by NIMC under the digital identity ecosystem means fast-tracking of the enrollment process in the national identity system.

“We have a mandate to register all Nigerians and legal residents or at least over 95 per cent of the population within the next three years. It does not necessarily mean that NIMC must have offices or enrollment centres in all nooks and crannies of the country, especially given the current economic situation and realities in our country.

“Instead, in its wisdom the Federal Government approved the new digital identity ecosystem which ensures and mandates all government agencies earlier mentioned and private sector organisations to be licensed by NIMC, to collect citizens’ data using guidelines issued by NIMC through secured approved channels of communication and send such data to NIMC to generate NIN,” he said.

Aziz enjoined Nigerians to take advantage of the NIMC sites to track their e-ID cards from any gadget especially smart phones, tablets, laptops or computers.

“Open nimc.gov.ng tracking id center: https://touch.nimc.gov.ng/

“Push the proceed button, fill in your first name and last name as well as your National Identification Number and click on the check now button. Wait for seconds while it is loading and the status of your NIMC card will appear on the display,” he said.

The NIMC boss said Nigerians can now use the USSD for NIN retrieval, adding that the USSD service would enable them to retrieve their NIN conveniently by using any type of mobile phone as it is also available on all mobile networks in the country.