Reps want inclusion of NIN on National ID cards

 By Christiana Ekpa 

The House of Representatives on Wednesday urged the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to redesign the National Identity Cards to include the National Identity Number (NIN). 

The House mandated its Committee on Interior to ensure compliance.

 These resolutions followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Hon. Fredrick Agbedi. 

Agbedi said the House is aware that the NIN is used by the governments of many countries as a means of tracking their citizens permanent and temporary residency for the purposes of work among other reasons.

 While noting that NIN is used for virtually all transactions in Nigeria requiring identity verification, Agbedi said the commission started issuing digital ID cards which display only the name, age and nationality of the older ID cards without displaying the NIN number. 

This, he said, has brought untold hardship to the citizens while trying to retrieve their NIN via short codes provided by telecommunications providers to pay for services.

 He said, “Also aware that the number is issued and managed by the National Identity Management Commission established to manage Nigerians identity in government institutions, register individuals and introduce general multipurpose cards. The NIN which matches with your biometrics, is said to be used for virtually all transactions in Nigeria requiring identity verification. 

“Recently the commission started issuing digital ID cards which display only the name, age and Nationality of the older ID card without displaying the NIN number. The commission failed to include the NIN to the ID Card and it has brought untold hardship to the citizens who in a bid to retrieve their NIN via short codes provided by telecommunications providers to pay for services.”