Market News

By Justice Okamgba

The Federal Government has launched a crackdown on individuals and organizations involved in the unauthorised printing of National Identification Number cards, warning that offenders will face legal action.

The National Identity Management Commission, in a statement issued on Monday, said it had observed the indiscriminate production of fake NIN cards by cyber cafés and other entities, who charge unsuspecting Nigerians exorbitant fees for the illegal service.

The agency described the act as a violation of the NIMC Act No. 23 of 2007 and cautioned Nigerians against using or accepting such unauthorized cards as valid identification.

“The so-called NIN card is not authorized by NIMC, and on no account should anyone present it as a means of identification,” Adegoke said. “Security agencies have been notified and mandated to apprehend those engaged in this illegal activity.”

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NIMC reiterated that the NIN slip remains the only valid proof of identification and must be verified before use.

The warning comes as the agency announced that the number of Nigerians enrolled in the NIN database had reached 117.3 million as of February 28, 2025.

To address public demand for a physical identification card, NIMC said it has finalized plans to launch an improved General Multi-Purpose Card, which will serve as both an identity and payment card, powered by AfriGO, a local payment platform.

NIMC first announced the GMPC in April last year, but there has been uncertainty regarding its rollout timeline.

At a recent press conference, Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of NIMC, Abisoye Coker-Odusote, shared details about the new card program, stating that it aims to support multiple use cases for federal government and private sector interventions.

According to NIMC, the card is designed to address social and economic challenges in the country by integrating payment functionalities with identity verification.

The commission also clarified that Nigerians who want the GMPC will have to pay for it. It explained that the decision to charge for the card is due to the government’s limited resources and the need to avoid past inefficiencies.

NIMC stated that in a previous attempt to issue free National ID cards, over two million cards were produced, but many remained uncollected.

The agency noted that requiring payment would ensure that only those who genuinely need the card request it, reducing waste and improving efficiency in the distribution process.