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The Federal Government, through the National Identity Management Commission recently announced its plan to unveil an enhanced National Identity Card layered with payment capabilities and social service features.
This new card, developed in collaboration with the Central
Bank of Nigeria and the Nigeria Inter-bank Settlement System, will be powered
by AfriGO, a national domestic card scheme.
However, Abisoye Odusote, director-general/chief executive
officer of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has disclosed
that Nigerians will have to pay a certain amount of money to get the new
general multipurpose national identity card through finance institutions in the
country.
Odusote made this known during an interactive season with
journalists on Friday in Abuja. She noted that NIN is free but the card will
not be issued free.
She said, “Just like how you pay to access your ATM cards in
the banks, Nigerians will pay through the banks to access their cards within 48
hours after payment to get the digital multipurpose card.”
She said applicants for the card will have to request with
their NIN through a self-service online portal or the banks She added that
applicants will have to pay through the banks to acquire the card.
The national ID card, fortified with verifiable National
Identity features, is supported by the NIMC Act No. 23 of 2007, which mandates
the enrollment and issuance of a general multipurpose card to Nigerians and
legal residents.
The commission said the initiative aims to meet the demand
for physical identification, enabling cardholders to verify their identity and
access both government and private social services.
The national ID card will promote financial inclusion,
empower citizens, and foster increased participation in nation-building
endeavours.
According to NIMC, only registered citizens and legal
residents with the National Identification Number will be eligible to request
the card
Other features of the card include a machine-readable zone in conformation with ICAO for e-passport information, identity card Issue date and document number in line with ICAO standards, travel, health insurance information, microloans, agriculture, food stamps, transport, and energy subsidies, etc.