NIMC plans e-ID Cards’ replacement, renewal

National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) said that it is working to ensure every Nigerian with National Identity Number (NIN) receives the electronic identity cards, and that it has set up machinery to renew others about to expire.

Engineer Aliyu Aziz, NIMC’s director general and chief executive officer, regretted that recession and the inability of the private partners to meet up with obligation, slowed down the processes of printing the e-ID cards for already captured citizens.

He however, said the Commission is not overlooking demands for card replacement or renewal due to losses, expiration or change of names. He said that the model might require payment for the card replacement, while the unprivileged members of the society could get subsidy, he told Nigeria CommunicationsWeek.

Recall, first set of printed national ID cards, numbering over five million, was issued to registrants, in 2014 with five-year expiration period (2019). Engr. Aziz said, “First issuance of the e-ID card is free. The Federal Government understands the importance of this card to every citizen. But, due to recession, the cases of card lost and expiration will cost a token for replacement or renewal.

“Other countries around us pay for this card right from the first time of issuance. But, the Nigerian Government thought it wise to issue it free. Now, if we calculate the card cost, it is more than N2000.

“It is possible to have a model where government subsidises the replacement fee. However, we know how subsidies have been mismanaged in the past. It is also possible that high and mighty in the society will pay a token while the poor people, especially the rural dwellers, should get subsidy. So, there should be soft landing for card replacement. We are working on it and shall in due course inform the public how to replace your card due to loss, or change of name.

“Data has become ubiquitous in the 21st Century; it powers the information technology which in itself has become more pronounced than the oil sector. At NIMC, the idea is to build a workable system and maintain it moving system.

“We are looking forward to data capturing right from birth, because that is when proper data generation starts. Even embassies are asking for the NIN, therefore, the child needs it. So, by the time we license other relevant authorities, it is possible for people to get their NIN at the immigration office, at FRSC, or wherever government provides services. Therefore, it will be ubiquitous; it is at that point we can capture all Nigerians.

“We are remodeling to the Indian system where they have successfully captured about 1.2billion citizens. Meanwhile, we started before them; they copied some of the processes before us. They do not even give the NIN slip because a lot of resources would have gone into paper provisioning. They only give you secured online access then you remotely print the slip. On our part, we are moving towards 200million people. It will be such a huge cost.

The DG/CEO of NIMC also said that Nigerians yet to register should visit any of the 809 centers as “NIN would enable citizens to exercise their rights and facilitate management of issues like subsidies and safety net payments as applicable to internally displaced persons.

“Data has become ubiquitous in the 21st Century; it powers the information technology which in itself has become more pronounced than the oil sector. At NIMC, the idea is to build a workable system and maintain it moving system.