EXCLUSIVE: Nigerians To Start Using Three-In-One National Identity Card Soon

NIMC is set to launch a versatile three-in-one identity card for Nigerians, featuring payment capabilities and social service functionalities, following extensive testing and preparation.

The initiative aims to enhance service delivery and provide broader options for domestic consumers.

In an exclusive interview with Saturday PUNCH, a senior member of the NIMC implementation team revealed that Nigerians will soon have access to a new three-in-one identity card.

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has been diligently working towards this goal, aiming for a launch in the coming months.

The official mentioned that while there have been some delays, the target is to finalize the deployment between July and August, with ongoing testing and preparation stages crucial to ensuring the card’s functionality. Integrations with banks and scalability of the portal are currently underway.

The official said, “We actually plan for July although there have been a few delays but we are still hopeful that it would come in July. So we are hoping to get it done between July and August. We are still on plan and if there is any shift, the public will know.”

The official added, “When you are deploying a new technology, there is a lot of work to be done, you need to configure the card, enable the outlet, and enable the wallet to work. We also have to do tests and that is what is ongoing.

“The deployment is ongoing, the portal that people need to access the service has to be deployed, and we have to make sure that it is scaleable and those are the ongoing works.

“There are integrations that all the banks need to do to enable the card and all of those little details are ongoing. We have that target and we are working extra hard to make sure that we achieve that.”

Earlier this month, on April 5, 2024, NIMC announced the collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Nigeria Inter-bank Settlement System to introduce the new identity card.

This advanced card will feature payment capabilities and various social service functionalities, aiming to provide enhanced options for consumers and improve service delivery across Nigeria.