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Summary
In a press briefing over the weekend, Dr Abisoye Coker-Odusote, Director General and CEO of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) announced plans to launch an improved multi-purpose biometric identity card for Nigerians. However, Nigerians, unpleased with the news, have taken to social media to react.
During a media briefing in Abuja over the weekend, the Director General and CEO of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Dr Abisoye Coker-Odusote, announced plans to launch an improved multi-purpose biometric identity card for Nigerians. She stated that the initiative is being implemented in collaboration with the Nigerian Interbank Settlement System (NIBSS).
According to NIMC, the new card will integrate payment and identity verification features, which is crucial in addressing Nigeria’s social and economic challenges.
Highlighting its key features, Abisoye explained, “The card is biometric-enabled, using fingerprint authentication, which is currently the most unique form of identification. It has a long validity period and is fully KYC-compliant. Additionally, it functions both online and offline, ensuring usability even in areas with limited internet access.”
She further noted that the card supports multiple digital services, stating,
“It facilitates cash transactions, digital tokens, wallets, and email integration. It also embeds banking details within its chip, allowing users to perform all functions available on an EMV-enabled card. On the back, it includes additional features that enable Nigerians to verify their identity whenever required.”
Abisoye also introduced the initiative’s second phase, the Government-to-People (G2P) card, designed to enhance identity verification for government agencies and private sector service providers in a secure and verifiable manner.
She assured that the card would be made available to Nigerians at an affordable cost, emphasising its role in alleviating poverty for 133 million citizens and ensuring seamless access to essential services.
This news, however, has not gone down well with Nigerians as they see this decision as another cash-grabbing and stressful scheme by NIMC.
Adesola also remarked “With this, and BVN, and NIN, you’ll still have to register to get your PVC. When they have all your information already. 🙂”
“Always looking for old and unimproved ways to steal money and stress Nigerians,” Jollz criticised.
“NIMC is such a crime scene. I mean, almost every government agency is, but these ones??? And it’s amazing how no matter who heads it, they just… don’t give a fuck about trying,” X user @imoteda said.
