NIMC Set to Launch Multipurpose Biometric ID Card 

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) is gearing up to introduce a multipurpose biometric ID card, aiming to enhance identity verification and digital inclusion in Nigeria.

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) announced plans to soon introduce an enhanced multi-purpose biometric identity card.

Dr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, the Director General and Chief Executive Officer of NIMC, announced at a weekend media briefing in Abuja about enhancements to the NIN card that this initiative is being carried out in partnership with the Nigerian Interbank Settlement System (NIBSS).

The briefing was attended by Mr. Premier Oiwoh, the Managing Director and CEO of Nigerian Interbank Settlement System; Ebehije Momoh, the Managing Director and CEO of AfriGO; and Femi Akande, the Managing Director of Data Mining Company.

Coker-Odusote stated that the new card program is designed to tackle various applications for both federal government and private sector initiatives. It also focuses on addressing social and economic challenges within the country, with payment functionalities and identity serving as its foundation.

She mentioned that the card’s main features include biometric authentication based on a unique fingerprint. It boasts a long validity period, thanks to being fully KYC-enabled. Additionally, it has both offline and online functionality, ensuring usability even in areas with limited internet access for the services it’s intended to provide.

You can handle cash, digital tokens, a wallet, and email with it. The chip also contains banking details that enable the holder to perform all transactions possible with an ENV-enabled card.

On the reverse side, the card offers extra features that allow Nigerians and users to verify their identity whenever necessary.

The CEO of NIMC elaborated that the new multi-function card also promotes citizens’ inclusion in social and economic activities within the country.

She highlighted that the second initiative on the agenda, known as the Government of People card or G2P, addresses the existing requirement for government agencies and even private sectors to securely and reliably identify individuals providing these services.

This is anticipated to address the challenges associated with identifying individuals who take part in government intervention programs.

Regarding the cost of issuance, she assured that the card would be offered to Nigerians at an affordable price. She added that the newly designed biometric card aims to lift 133 million Nigerians out of poverty and provide seamless services.

Oiwoh commented on the partnership with NIBSS, saying: “As NIBSS, our interoperability arrangement gives us access to extensive financial data related to payments. In this collaboration where AfriGo is entirely owned by NIBSS on behalf of all commercial banks and the Central Bank, we believe it was essential for a Nigerian company like ours—with over 32 years in operation—to develop a card payment system that proudly partners with NIBSS. This will help provide infrastructure through Afrigo and other payment schemes such as the NQR feature integrated into cards using the established rails at NIBSS.”

With your fingerprints, you can authenticate transactions. If you don’t remember your account number, simply present the card and scan its QR code to retrieve it. You can then communicate with whoever scanned your card for further actions and authentication.

These are the areas where NIBSS provides guidance on payment details to ensure Nigerians fully benefit and feel excited about these developments. As a Nigerian, I am very proud to witness this progress.

Dr. Peter Iwegbu, the Director of the Card Management team, provided an overview of the project and highlighted its benefits for citizens. He explained that this 3-in-1 card will offer immediate proof of identification, facilitate access to government services, enable self-identification, and allow for financial transactions.

The card also allows for tracking, identification, and verification of individuals without the need for electronic devices.

Regarding the rollout plan, Ebehijie Momoh, the Managing Director of Afrigo, characterized the enhanced ID as extraordinary and poised to transform Nigeria’s identity system.