What You need to know on NIN

The National Identification Number (NIN) registration will soon commence at various enrolment centres all over Nigeria. Every citizen of Nigeria from the age of 16 years and above and legal residents are eligible to enrol for the NIN. (Arrangements are also currently being made to ensure that all persons from birth can be registered and enrollment of biometrics from the age of five (5) can be achieved).

The Nigerian National Identification Number (NIN) is similar the United States of America’s Social Security Number (SSN). This is a set of numbers assigned to an individual by the government as a means of tracking its citizens, permanent and temporary residents for the purposes of work, taxation, government benefits, health care, and other government-related functions.

The NIN once issued to a person cannot be used again, (that is, it cannot be issued to another person even if the previous person is dead). It is the NIN that helps to tie all records about a person in the database and is used to check the identity verified.

This will be managed by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), established by Act No. 23 of 2007 whose primary goal is to foster the orderly development of an identity sector in Nigeria through the development of a modern and universally acceptable identity management infrastructure in Nigeria. The Act empowers NIMC to establish, manage, regulate and enforce an effective and secure Identity Assurance System that would facilitate the harmonization and integration of identity databases in government agencies, ensure sustainability, reliability and acceptance across diverse points and contexts and application of the verification and authentication services within and outside the country.

Enrollment consists of the recording of an individual’s demographic data and capture of the ten (10) fingerprints, head-to-shoulder facial picture and digital signature, which are all used to cross-check existing data in the National Identity Database to confirm that there is no previous entry of the same data. Once this (de-duplication) process is completed the data is then stored with a unique NIN that was assigned to it. The process is the same whether you choose the self-service or you require an assisted service.

There are different ways you can enrol for the NIN:

1.  Self Service Enrollment
Stage 1:

§  Applicant visits NIMC website: http://www.nimc.gov.ng  to access the Enrollment Form or walks into an enrolment centre and use the self-service workstation.

§  Fills the Enrolment Form online and prints a summary sheet with a 2D Barcode and Registration ID number.

§  At the enrolment centre, the enrolment officer scans barcode to pull up the applicant data or uses the Registration ID Number to pull up the information from the database.

Alternatively,

§  Applicant walks into an enrolment centre and picks up an enrolment form.

§  Fills the enrolment form, providing the required demographic information.

§  Applicant approaches the enrolment officer who collects the completed form and inputs the details into the enrolment portal.

Stage 2: Applicant verifies and confirms the enrolment data on the system.
Stage 3: Applicant has his photograph, finger print captured.
Stage 4: Applicant has his supporting documents scanned.
Stage 5: Enrolment is acknowledged and a slip is generated and given indicating completion of enrolment.
Stage 6: Applicant leaves the enrolment centre.

2.  Assisted-Service
Stage 1: Applicant walks into enrolment centre and request for enrolment assistance.
Stage 2: A support officer assists applicant in picking and filling the enrolment form.
Stage 3. Applicant approaches an enrolment officer who collects the completed form and inputs the details into the enrolment portal.
Stage 4: Applicant verifies and confirms the enrolment data on the system.
Stage 5: Applicant has his photograph, finger print captured.
Stage 6: Applicant has his supporting documents scanned.
Stage 7: Enrolment is acknowledged and a slip is generated and given indicating completion of enrolment.
Stage 8: Applicant leaves the enrolment centre.

3.  Mobile-Service
Stage 1: Applicant goes to a mobile enrolment station.
Stage 2: Request an enrolment form and fill it or request a support officer to provide assistance.
Stage 3. Applicant approaches an enrolment officer who collects the completed form and inputs the details into the enrolment portal.
Stage 4: Applicant verifies and confirms the enrolment data on the system.
Stage 5: Applicant has his photograph, finger print captured.
Stage 6: Applicant has his supporting documents scanned.
Stage 7: Enrolment is acknowledged and a slip is generated and given indicating completion of enrolment.
Stage 8: Applicant leaves the enrolment centre.

After the completion of the enrolment process, you will be informed of the date and time for collection of the National Identification Number (NIN). NIN can only be collected by an individual after biometric verification where you previously enrolled and not by proxy.

There are Registration Centers in all the 36 NIMC State offices in the capital of each State and FCT, and with time there will also be centers in all the 774 Local Government offices nationwide. There are also plans to establish additional registration centers and mobile registration centers in strategic locations for easy access to enrolment.

80% of Nigerians lack proper identification – NIMC

80% of Nigerians lack proper identification – NIMC

The National Identity Management Commission has said that 80 per cent of Nigerians have no proper identification due to the lack of a comprehensive national identity database, the lacuna the NIMC was established to address.

The Director, Information Technology/Database, NIMC, Mr. Aliyu Azeez, while speaking at a stakeholders’ forum organised by the commission in Lagos on Tuesday, said only 20 per cent of the country’s population had some form of identification.

He said over 100 million Nigerians lacked any form of identification that could allow them engage in seamless transactions locally and internationally.

Azeez, who noted that the identity management sector was critical to Nigeria’s development, said, “One hundred million Nigerians do not have any form of identification. Less than 20 per cent of Nigeria’s population have some form of identification. There are lots of activities happening in terms of the development of identity databases, but they are done in silos.

“I call them sectoral silos because there is no common key that allows these disparate databases to talk to each other.”

To ensure the registration of citizens and legal residents as provided by the NIMC Act, the commission’s Director-General, Mr. Chris Onyemenam, had earlier said the issuance of National Identification Numbers and cards would begin by the first quarter of 2013.

He said the pilot scheme was being successfully implemented in Bauchi, Bayelsa, Enugu, Kaduna and Lagos states, as well as the Federal Capital Territory, adding that national identity numbers were currently being issued in the pilot scheme states.

Onyemenam, however, said the commission was ready to expand its coverage to the 36 states of the federation, adding that enrolment offices would be set up in all the states by the end of the month.

He said, “By the end of October, we would have concluded testing of these systems from these various locations. We will wait for sometime to look at the volume management and connectivity. We want to see how we can manage the switch from one network to another.”

National Identification Number (NIN)....facts you need to know

National Identification Number (NIN)

The National Identification Number (NIN) is a non intelligent set of numbers assigned to an individual upon successful enrollment.

Enrollment consists of;

The recording of an individual’s demographic data

Capture of the ten (10) fingerprints,

Head-to-shoulder facial picture and

Digital Signature

All these will be used to cross-check existing data in the National Identity Database to confirm that there is no previous entry of the same data. Once this (de-duplication) process

When this is completed the data is then stored with a unique NIN that was assigned to it.

The NIN once issued cannot be used again, (that is, it cannot be issued to another person even if the previous person is dead).

It is the NIN that helps to tie all records about a person in the database and is used to check the identity verified.

When Can I Get Enrolled?

Enrollment in selected locations has commenced.

 You will be required to provide your demographic data, fingerprints, photographs and digital signature for enrollment into the National Identity Database, by presenting yourself at your convenience at a designated location for the enrollment exercise.

There is provision for pre-registration online. NIN will be issued to you within one (1) week if there are no issues about your identity.

Thereafter your Identity Card will be processed and delivered to you within one (1) month.

However, if there are issues with your enrolment, you will be notified within forty-eight (48) hours and may be invited for physical verification.

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The National Identification Number (NIN) is a non intelligent set of numbers assigned to an individual upon successful enrollment.

Enrollment consists of;

The recording of an individual’s demographic data

Capture of the ten (10) fingerprints,

Head-to-shoulder facial picture and

Digital Signature

All these will be used to cross-check existing data in the National Identity Database to confirm that there is no previous entry of the same data. Once this (de-duplication) process

When this is completed the data is then stored with a unique NIN that was assigned to it.

The NIN once issued cannot be used again, (that is, it cannot be issued to another person even if the previous person is dead).

It is the NIN that helps to tie all records about a person in the database and is used to check the identity verified.

When Can I Get Enrolled?

Enrollment in selected locations has commenced.

 You will be required to provide your demographic data, fingerprints, photographs and digital signature for enrollment into the National Identity Database, by presenting yourself at your convenience at a designated location for the enrollment exercise.

There is provision for pre-registration online. NIN will be issued to you within one (1) week if there are no issues about your identity.

Thereafter your Identity Card will be processed and delivered to you within one (1) month.

However, if there are issues with your enrolment, you will be notified within forty-eight (48) hours and may be invited for physical verification.

Kindly click on these links:

To send us friendship request on facebook:http://www.facebook.com/nimc.nigeria

Log on and click “LIKE” to join our facebook fan page:http://www.facebook.com/pages/National-Identitification-Number/274063049366531?ref=hl

National Identification Number (NIN)

National Identification Number (NIN)

The National Identification Number (NIN) is a non intelligent set of numbers assigned to an individual upon successful enrollment. Enrollment consists of the recoding of an individual’s demographic data and capture of the ten (10) fingerprints, head-to-shoulder facial picture and digital signature, which are all used to cross-check existing data in the National Identity Database to confirm that there is no previous entry of the same data. Once this (de-duplication) process is completed the data is then stored with a unique NIN that was assigned to it.

The NIN once issued cannot be used again, (that is, it cannot be issued to another person even if the previous person is dead). It is the NIN that helps to tie all records about a person in the database and is used to check the identity verified.

When Can I Get Enrolled?

As soon as the Front-End Partners (FEPs) are ready. But enrollment in selected locations will commence soon. So you will be required to provide your demographic data, fingerprints, photographs and digital signature for enrollment into the National Identity Database, by presenting yourself at your convenience at a designated location for the enrollment exercise. There is provision for pre-registration online. NIN will be issued to you within one (1) week if there are no issues about your identity. Thereafter your Identity Card will be processed and delivered to you within one (1) month.

However, if there are issues with your enrolment, you will be notified within forty-eight (48) hours and may be invited for physical verification.

9-digit number that is unique to each Nigerian that has registered with National Identity Management Commission. The NIN is assigned to an individual at the time of the initial registration with NIMC.

NIN is associated with a single set of biometrics belonging to the subject (individual) that has been assigned the NIN. NIN is not the same as the National ID card number which may expire, discontinued, or be re-assigned.

NIN Assignment

Only NIMC can assign the 9-digit NIN to a subject. Once NIN is assigned to a subject, it can never be changed or altered in any form. NIN does not expire and is valid for the entire life span of the subject biometrics that it was assigned to.

Use of NIN

NIN shall be the basis of which the Federal, State, and Local government shall interact with a citizen of Nigeria. Each Ministry, agency, regulatory body, and entities must tie an individual to a NIN before services can be rendered to the individual.

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How National Identification Management System will stimulate development

How National Identification Management System will stimulate development

The history of national identity registration in Nigeria is long and tortuous just as it has been wasteful.
The Federal Government had in 2001 awarded a contract worth $214m to a consortium led by French firm, Sagem, for the production of identity cards for all Nigerian citizens.

The contract was marred in 2003 by allegatio

ns that Nigerian officials collected more than $2m bribes to influence the award of the contract.
On May 11, 2005 Snecma and Sagem SA merged to become the Safran Group, a defence and communications conglomerate.
The case involving several government and party officials was never resolved while only a few Nigerians received identity cards under the scheme.
However, the National Identity Management Commission established by the NIMC Act of 2007 has taken over the functions, assets and liabilities of the Department of the National Civil Registration, which handled the identity card contract.
DNCR was established by the Decree 51 of 1979 when Olusegun Obasanjo, was the Head of State.
Incidentally, Obasanjo also signed the NIMC Act of 2007 that abrogated the civic registration organisation.
During the 25-year life span of DNCR, it achieved little but got enmeshed in several controversies that saw to wastage of billions of tax payers’ money.
Now, NIMC is charged with the responsibilities of registering every individual in Nigeria, establishing and maintaining a national identity database as well as issuing of a unique identification number and a General Multi-purpose Identity Card.
The NIMC Act 2007 prescribes that any person who accesses data or any other information from the National Identity Database without lawful authorisation risks a minimum jail term of 10 years.
Similarly, any person who refuses to provide relevant information or gives false information to the NIMC also risks a minimum jail term of 10 years.
Where these offences are committed by a corporate body, the organisation is liable to a fine of N10m while the officials of the organisation involved in the offence are liable to a 10-year jail term.
The Act established the National Identity Database, which would contain registered information or data of citizens of Nigeria and non-Nigerian citizens registerable under the law.
According to the Act, “Any person in respect of whom an entry is made in the database shall be identified using unique and unambiguous features such as fingerprints and other biometric information.”
Among other things, the objective of the database is to enable NIMC to use information contained in the database to issue Multipurpose Identity Card with unique Identification Number to registerable persons.
From the specification of the Act, it is compulsory to present the identification number for several transactions including application for and issuance of a passport, opening of individual and personal bank accounts and purchase of insurance policies.
It is also required for the purchase, transfer and registration of land; contributory pension scheme; consumer credit transactions; registration of voters; payment of taxes and in the consumption of other services rendered by the government.
Any person who carries out or permits the carrying out of any of these transactions without the identification number commits an offence that attracts a fine of N50, 000 or jail term of not less than six months.
If a corporate body commits the offence, it is liable to a fine of N1m while the Chief Executive Officer of the organisation or the line manager that caused the offence to be committed would also pay a personal fine of N1m.
On the time frame for the operation of the new law, the Act said, “The commission may by order approved by the Attorney-General of the Federation and published in the gazette, modify the information for the time being set out in the Second Schedule of this Act.
“Every registerable person who, at the commencement of this Act has attained the age of 16 years, shall within 60 days thereof or such longer period as the commission may by order specify, attend before the commission or at such place designated by the commission, for the purpose of being registered.”
In pursuit of this mandate, NIMC had in July 2010 signed agreements for a new identity management project with two private consortia.
The two consortia – Chams consortium (made up of Chams Plc and Nextzon Communications) and One SecureCard consortium – are tasked with the responsibility of handling the front end operations of the project including data capturing.
At the signing ceremony in Abuja, Chairman of NIMC and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, Mr. Uche Secondus, said it had taken three years for the agreement to be reached.
He said the signing ceremony was the beginning of the process to deliver a NID of 100 million enrolments over the next 30 months from the date the registration starts at model registration centres to be established across Nigeria by the private sector partners.
Secondus had said, “This giant step is a necessary commitment that signifies Federal Government’s resolve to partner with the private sector to deliver important social infrastructure that would enable government to deliver on its important responsibilities – securing lives and property, access to consumer credit and a host of other services that will touch the lives of the poor amongst us and improve our image as a nation.
“I hope the private sector partners have thought through this to avoid any further delays. This is because the interest of the Nigerian citizenry is paramount and the board will do anything within its powers to safeguard that.”
Secondus added that in putting the agreement in place, the government had learnt from mistakes of the past, and was set to ensure the sustainability of the project.
He noted that the tasks ahead would be more challenging in the areas of sourcing for funds to finance the roll-out plans, and instituting necessary security controls and protocols as well as ensuring necessary technology transfer.
The Group Managing Director of Chams Plc, Mr. Demola Aladekomo, said the private sector firms involved in the roll out process understood the challenges before them.
According to him, for a country with the size of Nigeria not to have a robust and viable National Identity Management System is scandalous.
At a recent stakeholder’s workshop, NIMC Director-General, Mr. Chris Onyemenam, said the agency was set to break with the past and give the nation a proper means of identification through the implementation of a National Identity Management System.
According to him, NIMC will enable about 80 per cent of Nigerians that lacked proper identification to be enrolled and reliably identified.
He noted that the identity management sector was critical to Nigerian’s development and the implementations of the President’s transformation agenda.
Onyemenam explained that the system comprised a NID (also known as a Central Identity Repository or register; a chip-based General Multi-Purpose Card; and a network of platforms to irrefutably prove or assert the identity of an individual.
The fourth component is the harmonisation of all existing identity databases in the public sector. This fourth component includes integrating disparate databases such as the voters’ register, SIM card register, driving licence data and population data.
The NIMC Act 2007 empowers the commission to establish, maintain and operate an NID. In pursuit of this, it is expected to establish centralised, reliable and dependable national database.

The NIMC boss stressed that the most important aspect of the system was that it would provide a universal identification infrastructure for the entire country.

This, he said, would help bring real and recognisable benefits to the government, the entire citizenry, and all legal residents in Nigeria.
He said that in order to harmonise with all the existing databases in the public sector, the NIMC had concluded fibre optic connectivity to 14 agencies that engaged in biometric identity related activities in the country.
According to him, NIMC had perfected strategies to ensure the successful execution of the NIMS project.
He said that NIMC had begun a pilot scheme, which was being implemented in Bauchi, Bayelsa, Enugu, Kaduna and Lagos states, as well as the Federal Capital Territory, adding that National Identification Number was currently being issued in the pilot states.
Onyemenam said with the successful implementation of the pilot scheme, the commission was ready to expand its coverage to the 36 states of the federation with the setting up of enrolment offices by the end of this year, adding that the project would successfully take off by the first quarter of 2013.
Speaking on the importance of the identity scheme, Professor of Sociology and Head, Sociology Department, University of Lagos, Dr. Adebayo Ninalowo, said it was imperative to readily ascertain and establish claims to Nigerian citizenship, for the state to fulfill its obligations to the citizens.
Driven by this sense of need and urgency, stakeholders say it is necessary for NIMC to make a clean break with the ugly past.

Identity commission to register 100 million Nigerians in 30 months - DG

Identity commission to register 100 million Nigerians in 30 months - DG

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) said on Thursday that it would capture 100 million Nigerians in the newly introduced biometrics database system in 30 months.

Briefing newsmen, NIMC Director-General, Mr Chris Onyemenam, said the gesture would ensure that the more than 100 million Nigerians without official identity cards were captured.

Onyemenam said the commission would register and issue a National Identity Number (NIN) and National Smart Card to every Nigerian from 16 years and above.

He said that the central database would capture all the detailed information about an individual.

He said the national identity database would harmonize and integrate all disparate databases such as voters’ registration information, driver’s license, sim registration and e-banking.

``The commission currently has a new reform mandate to provide unique identification numbers for citizens and legal residents to guarantee uniqueness through biometrics duplication.

``Nigeria lacks a comprehensive database for its citizens as 75 per cent of the available identity documents are fake or self-issued and they are sectoral silos without a common key.

``With a reliable national identity database in place, challenges of security and fraud would be dealt with because it would checkmate security threats.’’

Onyemenam said that the biometric database would enable individuals to prove their identity in a dependable manner by providing online and offline cost effective verification and authentication.

He said the project would provide standardized identity attributes and foster the orderly development of an identity sector, adding that it would ensure that Nigerians had a trusted National Identity Card System from time to time.

He said that the commission had been working with organizations such as INEC and communication providers to get the details of Nigerians in that aspect.

``Everything is set for this project, the law is in place, the capacity infrastructure is there and the public private partnership is there to ensure that there is revenue that comes in for the sustenance of the project. ‘’

Earlier, Mr Aliyu Aziz, the Director, Identity Database Department, said that with the introduction of the biometric data base number for all Nigerians, organizations could easily get information about their staff.

``The introduction of this project means a forensic security future for Nigeria because it will contain all the information about a person and address the value preposition for proper database.

``It will involve areas such as payment services, transit, identity, economy, health and education. The card is authentic and cannot be duplicated; so even if it’s stolen it will be useless,’’ he said.

National ID Registration A Continuous Exercise – Onyemenam

Ahead of the forthcoming National Identity Registration exercise, the Director-General of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Mr. Chris Onyemenam has advised Nigerians to douse their fears, saying that the current exercise was targeted at capturing the identity of all Nigerians from infancy to adulthood till infinity.

The DG who gave the assurance in Abuja during an exclusive interview with LEADERSHIP SUNDAY yesterday stressed that the pilot programme was to register people from 16 years and above as against the previous minimum of 18 years .

“Once the project kick-starts, it will run through our lifecycle and it might even stretch beyond us that is; it will be a continuous project till infinity but for the pilot programme, we want to register people that are 16 and above but pressure will not be on us to register the underage; though is our mandate to register everybody from birth to death.

According to him, “we want to capture a minimum of one hundred million Nigerians (100, 000, 000) within the next three years because statics obtained from the National population Commission shows that we have adults of 16 and above up to 90, 000, 000.

However, people that are below 16 will not be disenfranchised because registration will be done from birth till death including infants and children. The underage (less than 16) can register and obtain their NIN but cannot demand for card until their 16 years.

South East Zone agog for National Identification Number.

South East Zone agog for National Identification Number.

As part of the federal government's policy for the creation and distribution of new national identity numbers in the forthcoming National Identity Registration exercise, members of theNational Identity Management Commission (NIMC), have commenced an all sector sensitisation campaign in the South Eastern Zone of the Country where the indigen

es are upbeat in their expectation for the project.

In one of the curtsy visits by the project team (NIMC & Pauline Fredericks) to the palace of His Royal Highness, Onyebuchi Ibezim (Ugwu 1 of Amuzukwu Ibekwu) Amuzukwu Autonomous Community near Umuahia, HRH Ibezim and members of his cabinet warmly recieved the Team. After the briefing, HRH lauded the project and enjoined Abians to participate actively in the excercise saying, ‘The NIN project will be a way of capturing the total number of Abians in this country, and will thus aid our census figures in future’, adding that ‘We as grass roots leaders will mobilize the community and ensure that the needed support is given to the NIMC to enable the project start off smoothly.’

The project team also convened a Town Hall Meeting to engage critical stakeholders, the governments and heads of very key civil society groups. The well attended event hosted such high profile groups as the Trade Union Congress Abia (TUC), Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Abia State University, Umuahia, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) Umuahia District, Civil Service Commission, Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Center for youth care and Human Rights Awareness International.

Also present were the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), World Bank Primary Health Programme, National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) as well as the Youth Empowerment Value & HIV Aids re-orientation Project and the World Bank Primary Health Programme, Abia State Farmers Cooperative Union Limited among many others.
The National Identification Number (NIN) is a proven universal tool that aids various governments in planning, education and allocation of resources. It also provides cogent solutions to security challenges and aims to bring the menace of Identity theft, fraud and fake IDs to the barest minimum. The NIN will provide an avenue to enhance security and privacy of personal information when dealing with transactions and make it extremely difficult to forge another individual’s finger prints or other biometric information.

Already, the Director-General of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Mr. Chris Onyemenam has assured that the excercise is unique, longlasting and will accommodate 16 year olds as well as capture the identity of all Nigerians from infancy to adulthood and all through life.
He said,“Once the project kick-starts, it will run through our lifecycle and it might even stretch beyond us that is; it will be a continuous project till infinity but for the pilot programme, we want to register people that are 16 and above but pressure will not be on us to register the underage; though is our mandate to register everybody from birth to death.” He elaborated that “We want to capture a minimum of one hundred million Nigerians (100, 000, 000) within the next three years because statics obtained from the National population Commission shows that we have adults of 16 and above up to 90, 000, 000."
Clarifying further, he disclosed that people who are below 16 will not be disenfranchised because registration will be done from birth till death including infants and children. The underage (less than 16) can register and obtain their NIN but cannot demand for card until their 16 years.