The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has announced that Nigerians will be required to pay for the newly introduced multipurpose national ID cards. According to Dr. Peter Iwegbu, head of card management services at NIMC, this decision aims to ensure that the cards are produced only for individuals who genuinely need them.
Speaking during a media workshop in Lagos, Iwegbu explained that the initiative, under the leadership of Engr. Bisoye Coker-Odusote, was designed to avoid the inefficiencies of previous free ID card distribution efforts. Over two million cards were produced in earlier attempts, but many remain uncollected.
“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,” he said.
Iwegbu further noted that limited government revenue means the cost of card production cannot be fully subsidized. He stated, “The government has no money to produce this card and give it out for free. Second is that people must have a need for the card so that when we produce it, they will pick it up”
Engr. Lanre Yusuf, Director of IT at NIMC, added that the new approach includes a post-paid system. Nigerians will request and pay for the card, choose their preferred collection point, and then pick it up. “You cannot go through all these steps, pay for it, and ignore your card,” Yusuf emphasized.
To accommodate less privileged Nigerians, the government has introduced programs to make the cards accessible to those who cannot afford them but require them for government services or social support.
The multipurpose card set to be launched in a few weeks, features capabilities for identity verification, payments, and government services. Powered by AfriGO, the card is developed in partnership with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS). It is designed to work across multiple Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) and is compatible with the eNaira, adhering to EMV security standards.
NIMC has also partnered with banks nationwide to decentralize the process of requesting and collecting the cards. Nigerians can soon walk into any bank and initiate their card requests, making access more convenient.
The introduction of these cards marks a significant shift in Nigeria’s identity management system, with a focus on efficiency and value-driven services.
