NIMC: National ID card issuance ongoing

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) says it is still issuing identity cards to people who have successfully completed the exercise.

In a statement released on Sunday, NIMC said contrary to reports, it will invite individuals who have successfully completed the exercise to pick up their cards at the NIMC office where they enrolled from April 3rd.

“Persons who have not received an SMS can equally check the status of their cards on the NIMC website via www.nimc.gov.ng,” the statement signed by Loveday Chika Ogbonna, NIMC’s head of corporate communications, read.

“Citizens and legal residents who have also relocated from where they enrolled are advised to visit any NIMC office closest to them to request a card transfer form, which they would fill, and submit to the state ,coordinator for processing.”

According to the commission, the national identification number (NIN) is the most important thing issued by the commission, not the physical identity card.

“However, Nigerians and legal residents are reminded that the national identification number (NIN) is the unique identifier and most important token issued by the commission and not the physical e-ID card.

The NIN is a set of 11 non-intelligent numbers randomly assigned to an individual at the completion of enrolment into the national identity database (NIDB).

“The NIN is used to tie all records about an individual in the database and is verifiable via the NIMC verification service (NVS) portal which is made available to institutions and organisations upon request.”

According to section 27 (1) and (2) of the NIMC act, 2007, some the transactions that involve using the NIN are: application for and issuance of an international passport; opening of individual and/or group bank accounts, all consumer credits; purchase of insurance policies, purchase, transfer and registration of land by any individual; National Health Insurance Scheme, and such transactions that have social security implications, registration of voters, payment of taxes, and pensions.