NIMC gives date Nigerians will begin to use new National Domestic Card with payment feature

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has revealed that Nigerians will begin utilising the services of the proposed national domestic card from August 2024.

The card is expected to be launched in partnership with the NIMC and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and powered by the Nigeria Inter-bank Settlement System (NIBBS) and AfriGo.

Punch reports that commission had been working tirelessly to meet its goals, adding that the plan remains on track and would be launched in the upcoming months.

An official quoted confirmed ongoing effort towards the deployment of a new technology, targeting completion between July and August despite minor delays.

He said:

"We actually plan for July although there have been a few delays, but we are still hopeful that it would come in July.

"So we are hoping to get it done between July and August. We are still on plan and if there is any shift, the public will know."

The official explained the complexities involved in rolling out the new technology, highlighting the need for thorough preparations.

"When you are deploying a new technology, there is a lot of work to be done.

"You need to configure the card, enable the outlet, and enable the wallet to work. We also have to do tests and that is what is ongoing.

The deployment is ongoing, the portal that people need to access the service has to be deployed, and we have to make sure that it is scalable and those are the ongoing works.

"There are integrations that all the banks need to do to enable the card and all of those little details are ongoing. We have that target, and we are working extra hard to make sure that we achieve that.

The NIN multipurpose card to drive financial inclusion

In an earlier report by Legit.ng, NIMC said Nigerians with a National Identification Number will soon request a National ID card with payment features for financial and social services.

The commission said the card will be launched in partnership with the NIMC and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and powered by the Nigeria Inter-bank Settlement System (NIBBS) and AfriGo.

A statement by NIMC’s Head of Corporate Communications, Kayode Adegoke, said the National ID card, which is embedded with verifiable national identity features, is backed by NIMC Act No 23 of 2007, mandating it to enroll and issue a general multipurpose card to Nigerians and legal residents.

According to the statement, the card will address the demand for physical identification, allowing holders to prove their identity, give them access to government and private social services, facilitate financial inclusion for Nigerians, empower citizens, and encourage increased participation in nation-building.