The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has announced that Nigerians will be required to pay for the new multipurpose national identity card due to the country’s limited government revenue.
Peter Iwegbu, NIMC’s Head of Card Management Services, shared the news during a two-day press conference in Lagos on Thursday.
He explained that charging for the identity card would ensure it is only produced for those who genuinely need it.
Iwegbu emphasized that this approach was necessary to avoid repeating the mistake of previous efforts, where free national ID cards were issued but went largely uncollected.
He cited the example of over two million cards produced in a past initiative, most of which still remain unclaimed due to a lack of demand.
“Before we halted production due to funding issues, we produced more than two million cards, but many remain uncollected because people simply didn’t need them,” Iwegbu noted.
In addition to the low collection rates, he attributed the decision to charge for the cards to the government’s budget constraints, stating that limited revenue was a major factor in the move.
To facilitate the process, NIMC is collaborating with banks across Nigeria, allowing individuals to apply for the card at any nearby bank branch.
Lanre Yusuf, NIMC’s Director of Information Technology, also weighed in, acknowledging that the previous attempt to offer free national ID cards had not been successful.
He described the new ID card as a “post-paid” system, where individuals must first express a need for the card before making a request.
“To get the new national ID card, Nigerians will need to make a payment, select a pickup location, and then collect their card from the chosen location,” the director said.
“The government has implemented programmes to make the card accessible to the less privileged Nigerians who cannot afford it but require it to access government support.
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“This initiative demonstrates the government’s commitment to inclusivity and equality.”
Yusuf also said the multipurpose ID cards are expected to launch soon, with sample test cards already received.
“The new national ID card is a multipurpose card that can serve the purpose of identity verification, payments, and even government services,” he said.
In April, the federal government unveiled plans to launch a multipurpose national identity card.
The card, powered by AfriGO, is in partnership with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigeria Inter-bank Settlement System.
The card is enabled for all government intervention and services across multiple ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs).
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