The Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Abisoye Odusote, has revealed that Nigerians will pay more to obtain the new general multipurpose national identity (NIN) card via financial institutions.

In Abuja, she disclosed this during an interactive session with journalists on Friday, May 9, 2024 She said that the NIN is free, but the card is not, as users will pay a token to access the multipurpose card within 48 hours.

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.” Reports say applicants will get requests with their NIN via a self-service online portal or the banks, adding that they will have to pay through the banks.

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.