NIMC explains reasons behind new national ID card charge | The Guardian Nigeria News

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

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

Iwegbu said the payment was made to ensure that it was produced only for those in need.

According to him, this decision was taken to avoid repeating the mistake of past efforts to provide free physical cards to Nigerians, which many Nigerians did not collect.

Iwegbu said more than two million cards were produced by NIMC in the earlier free trial but most of them have not been collected till date.

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

Iwegbu explained that the government will not be able to finance the production of identity cards this time.

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

Yusuf said the new ID card is a post-paid ID card, meaning individuals must need the card before making a request.

“To obtain the new national identity card, Nigerians will need to make payment, select the pickup location and then collect their card from the selected location.

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

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

He noted that multi-purpose ID cards are expected to be released soon and sample test cards have already been received.

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

“NIMC is working with banks across the country and this will make it possible for people to walk into their nearest bank and request a card.

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

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

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