New national ID card: All you need to know, how it works
The federal government, through the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) is set to launch a new national identity card with payment functionality for all types of social and financial services.
As announced by the NIMC’s head of corporate communications, Kayode Adegoke, on Friday, April 5, the card is being produced by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigeria Inter-bank Settlement System (NIBSS), and will be powered by AfriGO, a national domestic card scheme
The decision for the production of the card is backed by di NIMC Act No. 23 of 2007, which ordered NIMC to enroll and issue one General Multipurpose card (GMPC) to Nigerians and legal residents.
Needs new card will meet
-Among other needs the new card will meet, it will address the demand for physical identification which will make cardholders prove their identities, access public and private social services, according to NIMC which made it clear that only registered citizens and legal residents with National Identification Number (NIN) can request the card.
-The card, will be produced according to ICAO s-Cardholders
-Cardholders will be able to use the cards as debit or prepaid cards when they link same to bank accounts of their choices.
-Also, the card will enable eligible citizens, especially those who are financially excluded from social and financial services to get access to multiple federal government interventions programs
Machine-readable Zone (MRZ) with ICAO for e-passport information
-Identity card issue date and document number in line wit ICAO standard
-Travel, health insurance information, microloans, agriculture, food stamps, transport, and energy subsidies, among others
-Nigeria quick response code (NQR) which carries the national identification number
-Biometric authentication, like fingerprint and pictures, as the primary medium for identity verification through the data embedded in the card chip.
-Offline capability that allows transactions for areas with limited network coverage or zero infrastructure connectivity
-Functionality as debit and prepaid card that will cater to both banked and unbanked persons
Reports had it that the Nigerian government, through the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), was finetuning plans to unveil an enhanced national identity card.
According to the NIMC, the new ID card has payment capabilities and social service features added to it. The commission disclosed that the card which was developed in collaboration with the Central Bank
The commission disclosed that the card which was developed in collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Nigeria Inter-bank Settlement System, will be powered by AfriGO, a national domestic card scheme.
