The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has pre-licensed National eAuthentication Limited (NeA), as an agent to register Nigerians both in the country and the Diaspora, for the National Identification Number (NIN).

NIMC, established to, amongst other things, create, manage and regulate a reliable and sustainable National Identity Management System (NIMS) and infrastructure for Nigeria; register all individuals covered by the NIMC Act; assign a unique NIN and General Multi-Purpose Cards to registered individuals, is collaborating with NeA in a public-private partnership to deliver on these responsibilities.

National e-Authentication  is a public-private partnership initiative involving key MDA’s in the identification, identity management and security sectors designed to address document and product falsification, forgery, faking, counterfeiting and theft. The absence of a credible, authentication platform has compelled governments at various levels in Nigeria, employers of labour, institutions of higher learning, embassies, banks and other financial institutions, foreign investors, etc. to expend huge resources, apply time-consuming and rigorous measure to verify and authenticate certificates and documents presented by applicants to secure employment or admissions into institutions of higher learning; support visa or loan applications; pure favors, honors, position or titles.

NIN is the unique number which identifies an individual for life and death, issued by NIMC after enrolment. It is used to match an individual with their biometric data and other details in the National Identity Database (NIDB). Individuals enroll through the recording of their demographic data and capture of the ten (10) fingerprints, head-to-shoulder facial picture and the digital signature. It consists of 11 non-intelligible numbers randomly chosen and assigned to an individual at the completion of enrolment into the National Identity Database.

NIN helps to tie all records about a person in Nigeria’s national database and is used to check the identity verified. All citizens and legal residents in Nigeria, from age zero (birth) and above are eligible to enroll for their NIN.

NIN, once issued to a person cannot be used again, (that is, it cannot be re-issued to another person even if the previous person is dead).

NIN is set to be used for all transactions in Nigeria requiring identity verification. Henceforth, Nigerians will be using NIN for obtaining e-ID card; travel (international passport application, acquisition and renewal); opening personal bank accounts; getting and renewing driver’s license; obtaining Permanent voter’s card; participating in the National Health Insurance Scheme; payment of taxes; transactions related to contributory pension scheme; access to welfare and other relevant services from the Nigerian Government(s); transactions with social security implications; land transactions subject to the Land Use Act  and any other transactions NIMC may so prescribe and list in the Federal Government Gazette.

With NIMC’s core values emphasizing Transparency, Promptness, Integrity, Excellence and  Professionalism and National eAuthentication Limited’s, private sector efficiency, Nigerians can be best assured of a convenient and successful NIN registration and car issuance  processes.

Dada Ajai-Ikhile,

G.M Marketing & Business Development.