Federal Government Approves NIN, Debit Card Merger by Commercial Banks

There have been recent developments in Nigeria regarding the integration of national identity cards with debit cards issued by commercial banks. The Federal Executive Council has approved a memo from the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) allowing banks to print debit cards that double as national identity cards. This means that Nigerians can now request a debit card from their bank that serves both as a bank card and a national identity card, without incurring any additional costs beyond the normal fees for debit cards.

According to the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Pantami, the NIMC Act 2007 only mandates Nigerians to have a National Identity Number (NIN) and not necessarily a physical card. However, many citizens, particularly those in rural communities, have expressed a need for the physical card. To address this, the NIMC has partnered with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to allow citizens to obtain the multipurpose card from relevant banks.

The card, which can be either a MasterCard or Visa card, will serve as both a national identity card and a bank card. Citizens can indicate their preference for the multipurpose card when applying for a card at their bank. The NIMC and the CBN have signed a non-disclosure agreement to protect the privacy and confidentiality of card applicants, ensuring that their personal information remains secure.

Additionally, the Federal Executive Council has approved a memo proposing the deployment of an automated system to integrate NINs with individual SIM cards. This system aims to consolidate the implementation of the NIN-SIM linkage, a policy that requires individuals to link their NINs with their SIM cards. The automated system is expected to sanitize the database and simplify the process of SIM replacement for Nigerians and legal residents.

These measures demonstrate efforts by the Nigerian government to improve the accessibility and convenience of national identity cards while promoting the integration of identification and financial services.