The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has explained reasons Nigerians must pay for the new multipurpose national identity card.
The Head of Card Management Services at NIMC, Dr Peter Iwegbu, who gave the explanation on Friday during a two-day roundtable organised for journalists in Lagos, said that the payment was due to limited government revenue.
“The government’s limited revenue is a major factor in the decision to make Nigerians pay for the new ID card,” he said.
Why giving further explanation, he added that the payment was to ensure that the card was produced for only those who needed it.
According to him, the decision was taken to avoid repeating the past mistake to issue physical cards to Nigerians for free, which many did not collect.
Iwegbu said over two million cards were produced in a previous attempt to issue free National ID cards by the NIMC, but many of them had not been collected.
He explained that the government could not fund production of ID cards due to limited revenue.
The Director of Information Technology at NIMC, Mr Lanre Yusuf, said the idea of a free national ID card did not go well in the past.
He described the new ID card as a post-paid identity card, which meant that individuals must need the card before initiating a request for it.
“To get the new national ID card, Nigerians will need to make a payment, select a pickup location, and then collect their card from the chosen location.
“The government has implemented programmes to make the card accessible to the less privileged Nigerians who cannot afford it but require it to access government support.
“This initiative demonstrates the government’s commitment to inclusivity and equality,” Yusuf said.
He noted that the multipurpose ID cards were expected to launch soon, with sample test cards already received.
Yusuf added that the NIMC had partnered with banks for Nigerians to request and collect their cards from any bank branch to facilitate a seamless experience.
“NIMC is working with banks across the country, which will make it possible for people to walk into any bank closest to them and request the card.
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