The National Identity Management Commission, NIMC, has issued an ultimatum that beginning from January 1, 2019, (yesterday) no citizen of Nigeria or legal occupants will access government services if he or she does not provide a verifiable National Identification Number, NIN.
According to NIMC, NIN becomes compulsory for all citizens to access any government services across Nigeria
The directive followed the approval of new National Digital Identity Ecosystem Strategic Roadmap for the enrolment of Nigerians and legal residents into the National Identity Database, NIDB, at a Federal Executive Council, FEC, in September 2018.
Director-General of NIMC, Engr. Aliyu Aziz, said: “All Federal Government Ministries, Agencies and Departments that take records of personnel/provide services requiring the identification of a person, shall from January 1, 2019 mandatorily demand NIN from citizens to offer any of such services.”
He reiterated that: “Ministries and agencies such as Education, Aviation, Office of the Head of Service of the Federation, Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, National Population Commission, National Independent Electoral Commission, Corporate Affairs Commission, Federal Inland Revenue Service, the Nigerian Communications Commission, National Health Insurance Scheme, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, Nigeria Police Force, Security and Exchange Commission among others, must request and verify the NIN as already adopted by the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System, Nigeria Immigration Service, Federal Road Safety Commission and the National Pension Commission have been notified.”
