The Nigerian government, under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, has unveiled plans to introduce innovative national identity cards to enhance identification and financial inclusion.
These cards will be linked to bank accounts and will serve as a multifunctional tool for citizens and legal residents.
Adegoke revealed that the collaboration between NIMC, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and the Nigeria Inter-bank Settlement System (NIBSS) has led to the development of an identity solution with payment capabilities named AfriGO.
The new national identity card, mandated by the NIMC Act No. 23 of 2007, will be accessible to individuals possessing the National Identification Number (NIN). It is designed to facilitate various social and financial services, ensuring inclusivity and empowerment.
Key features of the card include machine-readable zones compliant with international standards, biometric authentication through fingerprint and pictures, and an offline capability for transactions in remote areas.
Adegoke emphasized that only registered citizens and legal residents with a NIN will be eligible to request the card. It will serve as both a means of identification and a debit/prepaid card, fostering financial access for both banked and unbanked individuals.
Furthermore, the card aims to enable access to government intervention programs, particularly for those marginalized from social and financial services.
To obtain the card, eligible individuals can request it online, through commercial banks, participating agencies, or NIMC offices nationwide.
With data protection a priority, NIMC pledges to uphold international standards on data security to safeguard cardholders’ personal information.
