By Jemimah Wellington, JKNMedia Reporter
THE Director-General/Chief Executive Officer (DG/CEO) of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Abisoye Odusote, has unveiled a significant development regarding the acquisition of the new general multipurpose national identity card.
In a candid exchange with journalists on Friday in Abuja, Odusote disclosed that Nigerians will be required to remit a designated sum to obtain the card via financial institutions operating within the country.
Contrary to widespread belief, Odusote emphasized that while obtaining the National Identification Number (NIN) remains cost-free, the issuance of the physical identity card will incur a fee.
Drawing a parallel with existing banking procedures, she likened the process to the acquisition of ATM cards, whereby individuals pay a service charge to access these essential financial instruments.
“Similar to the routine process of obtaining ATM cards from banks, Nigerians will navigate a similar route by remitting the requisite fee through banking channels, enabling them to procure their digital multipurpose identity cards within a swift turnaround time of 48 hours post-payment,” she articulated.
Further elucidating the procedural aspects, Odusote outlined that prospective applicants must initiate the request for the identity card, accompanied by their NIN, either through a self-service online portal or by interfacing directly with the participating financial institutions. Subsequently, the payment transaction will be facilitated through the banking system, culminating in the issuance of the coveted identity card to the applicant.
The announcement underscores a significant transition in the issuance process of national identity cards, heralding a departure from the previous paradigm where such cards were provided to citizens without any monetary obligation.
As Nigerians prepare to embrace this new framework, the implementation and subsequent implications of this policy shift are poised to stimulate discourse across various sectors of society.
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