Nigerians can now obtain a multi-functional debit card that serves as their National Identity Card, thanks to a recent move by the Federal Government.
The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, revealed this to newsmen after a meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The approval was granted following a memorandum from the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), authorizing banks to issue debit cards that double as National identity cards.
Minister Pantami explained that the new cards would seamlessly combine the functionality of a national ID card and a bank card, such as Mastercard or Visa.
While the NIMC Act of 2007 only requires Nigerians to have a National Identity Number (NIN) and does not mandate a physical card, the demand for ID cards has increased significantly.
To address this, the NIMC introduced a digital smart ID card that can be downloaded from the NIMC app.
However, citizens in rural areas face challenges accessing the digital version.
In response, NIMC has collaborated with the Central Bank of Nigeria to facilitate card issuance through participating banks.
Under the collaboration, banks are authorized to print multipurpose cards that combine the functions of a national ID card and a bank card.
Minister Pantami emphasized that citizens would not incur any additional costs for obtaining these cards.
He stated, “When you apply for a card at your bank, you can indicate that ‘I want this card to be multipurpose where it will serve as my bank card and also my national identity card’. Both of them are going to be printed on the same card and it is going to serve the same purposes without any additional costs.”
To safeguard the privacy and confidentiality of cardholders, NIMC and the Central Bank have signed a nondisclosure agreement.
Banks will apply online to NIMC for verification and confirmation of applicants’ records, after which the cards will be printed and issued.
In addition to the integration of ID cards with debit cards, the FEC also approved the implementation of an automated system to link National Identification Numbers (NINs) with individual SIM cards.
This system aims to streamline the process of linking NINs with SIM cards and enhance its overall implementation.
Minister Pantami noted that previous attempts to verify NINs and SIM cards had been unsuccessful, and the current policy implementation was a significant step forward.
The FEC meeting also witnessed the approval of multi-billion naira contracts to improve power supply across various regions.
The contracts include the implementation of transmission lines, distribution lines, routine maintenance for the Transmission Company of Nigeria, and the construction of substations and solar PV power plants.
