In a recent announcement, the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has provided clarity on the nature of the new national identity card, emphasizing that it is a unified multipurpose card rather than three distinct cards.
Confirming this, Kayode Adegoke, the Head of Corporate Communications at NIMC, outlined the essential details in a document titled “Key Facts About the Proposed New General Multipurpose National Identity Card.”
On April 5, the commission revealed a collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Nigeria Inter-bank Settlement System to introduce a new card featuring payment functionalities for various social and financial services.
One segment of the document stated, “The new national ID card is a single, user-friendly GMPC that serves a variety of purposes, eliminating the necessity for multiple cards—rather than three.”
Furthermore, it mentioned, “The single GMPC offers multiple utilities such as financial transactions, government services, travel, and more.”
Applicants are instructed to request the card exclusively with their NIN through the self-service online portal, NIMC offices, or their respective banking institutions, as per the commission’s directives.
The issuance of the card will be conducted by the applicants’ respective banks in adherence to the established protocols for providing debit and credit cards.