Problems As NIMC Prepares New Identity Cards

Problems As NIMC Prepares New Identity Cards

In collaboration with the Nigerian Interbank Settlement System and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC)…

The federal government has introduced an ambitious, cutting-edge identity solution that includes payment capabilities for all kinds of social and financial services, in partnership with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigeria Interbank Settlement System (NIBSS).

However, Daily Trust reported on Sunday that the new card project will cost the government trillions of naira to implement. To create such a card for a citizen, the government will spend between N5,000 and N10,000. If that is multiplied by 104 million Nigerians with unique National Identity Numbers (NINs), the government will spend at least N1.04 trillion, according to Daily Trust on Sunday.

Verifiable national identity elements are built into the new card, which is powered by AfriGO, a national domestic card program, according to the government. According to a statement last week issued by NIMC’s spokesman, Kayode Adegoke, it is also supported by the NIMC Act number 23 of 2007, which requires the commission to enroll and issue a general multipurpose card (GMPC) to Nigerians and legal residents.

“This card will address the need for physical identification, allowing cardholders to verify their identity, gain access to public and private social services, help disenfranchised Nigerians get financial inclusion, empower citizens, and promote greater involvement in nation-building,” stated Adegoke in the statement.

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The National Identification Number (NIN) is the only credential that registered citizens and legal residents with the card can request, according to the Identification Commission. The card is intended to serve as the nation’s default national identity and will be manufactured in compliance with ICAO regulations.

Apart from this feature, cardholders will have the ability to use the card as a prepaid or debit card by connecting it to their preferred bank accounts. The card will provide access to various government intervention programs for qualified individuals, particularly those who are financially disadvantaged and cannot access social and financial services.

But people are complaining about the new project and the money spent on the current NIN, which does almost the same things as the new card.

According to information obtained by Daily Trust on Sunday, the present National Identity Number initiative has cost billions of naira. The World Bank-backed the NIN, which was skillfully designed and put out by the previous NIMC administration and authorized by the federal government at the time.

Based on information provided by an anonymous NIMC officer, the project had a $433 million estimated value. This is in addition to the money the federal government invested to help the process along.

The source told Daily Trust on Sunday, “It was learned that the new NIMC leadership misunderstood the World Bank project, assuming that the money was in the commission, not realizing that it was worked out in such a way that each licensed private entity is paid $1 (one dollar) as approved in the project.”

According to a different source, the new NIMC director-general and her management team not only stopped the current Nigerian ID project’s progress but also jeopardized national security by abruptly terminating the licensed agents and reopening the NIN Verification Service (NVS). However, the NIMC denied this.

Another source claimed that the notion that a new ID project (of three IDs) is being started is only a ruse to hide the lack of direction.

“Harmonization is necessary.”

Even those who applied for the present national ID card have not been able to pick theirs up after several years, which is one of the reasons some Nigerians think the new ID project will be a waste of time and money.

Furthermore, Idowu Derele, a digital identity specialist located in Lagos, stated that there was no “new ID card project” in the works. According to Derele, it’s now obvious that the current NIMC management is only trying to look like they’re doing something.

He claimed that the commission depended on propaganda rather than building on the accomplishments of its most recent leadership, which, incidentally, won praise from all around the world.

He continued, saying, “The harmonization committee was established by the federal government, which recognized the necessity to unify the various ID systems and appointed NIMC as its secretariat. What use does it thus make to discuss a new ID card project with the NIN as specified under the NIMC Act?

Another official, who also requested anonymity, stated that the previous NIMC administration chose to adopt the NIN, which is also outlined in the commission’s legislation, after realizing that the federal government lacked the funds to purchase a card for every individual as required by the act. The NIN enrollment increased from 7 million to 104 million in just seven years and ten months. We should build on this outstanding accomplishment rather than trash it.

“Can the federal government, which is claiming to be lowering costs due to a lack of funding, really afford to pay N5,000 to N10,000 for each physical card that a citizen receives? According to the insider, who spoke to Daily Trust on Sunday, “the NIN is the way to go as this is the global trend (social security number in the US, aadhar number in India, insurance number in the UK).”

Another expert, who also asked to remain anonymous, claimed that the new NIMC management had exposed Nigerian data by opening up the NVS.

There is a threat to national security here. In addition, the Nigerian Data Protection Commission is not doing its job properly by not penalizing the NIMC for violating citizens’ privacy rights and compromising their data. Thus, the NDPC has admitted to being involved in the NIMC data leak, he claimed.

However, Adegoke, the NIMC spokesman, stated in an interview with our reporter on Friday that the commission was not launching a new initiative. It is an extension of the previous project. All we want to do is add additional features and harmonize it. He claimed that “the media is getting it wrong.”

Adegoke stated that it was erroneous to assume that the NVS would jeopardize national security. According to him, the NVS was created to streamline and make the NIN registration process easier.

The new national ID card is a single, convenient, general multipurpose card (GMPC), which eliminates the need for several cards, according to the NIMC representative, who later emailed this reporter a write-up on the proposed card.

He claimed there were several use cases for a single GMPC, including payments and financial transactions, government intervention and services, travel, etc.

“To deliver the payment and financial use cases, the National Identity Management Commission is collaborating with the Nigerian Interbank Settlement System and the Central Bank of Nigeria.”

“The card will be powered by the NIBSS-powered indigenous AFRIGO card scheme.” “Applicants for the card must use a self-service online portal, NIMC offices, or their respective banks to request their NIN.”

“The card will be issued by current procedures for the issuance of debit/credit cards through the applicants’ banks.

Adegoke wrote in the article, “The card can be picked up by holders at a designated center or delivered to the applicants at the requested location at an additional cost to be borne by the applicants.”