Nigerians will now pay to obtain the newly introduced multipurpose National Identity Card as the federal government can no longer fund its production, the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has announced.
Peter Iwegbu, head of card management services at NIMC, disclosed this on Thursday during a two-day press conference in Lagos. He explained that the decision to charge for the cards aims to avoid the financial losses of previous initiatives where millions of free ID cards went uncollected.
Background
In a previous effort to distribute free physical National ID cards, over two million cards were produced, many of which remain unclaimed. Iwegbu noted that Nigeria’s limited revenue has made it impractical to continue funding such projects without financial contribution from citizens.
“The government cannot afford to fund the production of ID cards due to limited revenue,” he said.
How the New System Works
Lanre Yusuf, NIMC’s director of information technology, described the new ID card system as “post-paid,” meaning citizens must actively request and pay for the card before it is produced.
To obtain the card, individuals will:
1. Make a payment.
2. Select a pickup location.
3. Collect their card from the chosen center.Support for the Less Privileged
Yusuf assured Nigerians that the government has introduced programs to ensure that less privileged citizens can access the card, especially those requiring it to access government support.
“This initiative demonstrates the government’s commitment to inclusivity and equality,” he said.
Features of the Multipurpose ID Card
The new multipurpose card will serve several functions, including:
• Identity verification.
• Payment processing.
• Access to government services.Sample test cards have already been received, and the official launch is expected soon.
NIMC emphasized that this approach is meant to ensure the card reaches only those who genuinely need it, reflecting a more efficient and sustainable system.
