The Federal Government, through the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) in collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigeria Inter-bank Settlement System (NIBSS), has launched an innovative identity solution with payment functionality for all types of social and financial services to be powered by AfriGO, a national domestic card scheme.
A statement signed by the Head of Corporate Communications
at NIMC, Kayode Adegoke, said the National ID card, layered with verifiable
National Identity features, is backed by the NIMC Act No. 23 of 2007, which
mandates NIMC to enrol and issue a General Multipurpose Card (GMPC) to
Nigerians and legal residents.
The card, according to the statement, will address the
demand for physical identification enabling cardholders to prove their
identity, access government and private social services, facilitate financial
inclusion for disenfranchised Nigerians, empower citizens, as well as encourage
increased participation in nation-building.
“Only registered citizens and legal residents with the
National Identification Number (NIN) will be eligible to request the card.
“The card, which will be produced according to ICAO
standards, is positioned as the country’s default national identity card. In
addition to this functionality, cardholders will also be able to use the cards
as debit or prepaid cards by linking same to bank accounts of their choice.
“The card shall enable eligible persons especially those
financially excluded from social and financial services have access to multiple
government intervention programs.
“In line with data protection regulation and public
interest, NIMC remains committed to protecting cardholders’ personal data and
will ensure compliance with international standards on data security protocols
as security features that protect the confidentiality and safety of users’
information,” it said.
The key features of the card will include Machine-readable
Zone (MRZ) in conformity with ICAO for e-passport information, identity card
Issue Date and document number in line with ICAO standards.
The card will also have additional features, including
travel, health insurance information, microloans, agriculture, food stamps,
transport, and energy subsidies, etc.
Nigeria’s quick response code (NQR) contains the national
identification number.
Other features are biometric authentication, such as
fingerprint and pictures, as the primary medium for identity verification
through the data on the card chip, an offline capability that allows
transactions in areas with limited network coverage or zero infrastructure
connectivity.
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