NIMC explains reasons behind payment for new national ID card

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) on Friday said Nigerians would have to pay for the new multipurpose national identity card due to limited government revenue.

The NIMC Head of Card Management Services, Dr Peter Iwegbu, said this during a two-day round table event organised for online editors in Lagos.

Iwegbu said that the payment was to ensure that it was produced for only those who needed it.

According to him, the decision was made to avoid repeating the mistake of the past efforts to issue physical cards to Nigerians for free, which many Nigerians did not collect.

Iwegbu said that over two million cards were produced in a previous attempt for free by the NIMC, but many of them were uncollected to date.

“The government’s limited revenue is also a major factor in the decision to make Nigerians pay for the new ID card,” he said.

Iwegbu explained that the government could not fund the production of ID cards this time around.

Similarly, the Director of Information Technology at NIMC, Lanre Yusuf, said that the idea of a free national ID card did not turn out well in the past.

Yusuf said that the new ID card is a post-paid identity card, which means that individuals must need the card before initiating a request for it.

“To get the new national ID card, Nigerians will need to make a payment, select a pickup location, and then collect their card from the chosen location.

“The government has implemented programs to make the card accessible to less privileged Nigerians who cannot afford it but require it to access government support.

“This initiative demonstrates the government’s commitment to inclusivity and equality," Yusuf said.

He noted that the multipurpose ID cards were expected to launch soon, with sample test cards already received.

Yusuf added that to facilitate a seamless experience, NIMC had partnered with banks across the country, allowing Nigerians to request and collect their cards from any bank branch.

“NIMC is working with banks across the country, which will make it possible for people to walk into any bank closest to them and request the card.

“The new national ID card is a multipurpose card that can serve the purpose of identity verification, payments, and even government services,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the card, which will be powered by AfriGO, was launched in partnership with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigeria Interbank Settlement System (NIBSS).

The card will be enabled for all government intervention and services across multiple Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).