Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, made the announcement during the inauguration of an Inter-Ministerial retreat on the Nigeria Digital Identification for Development (ID4D) Project in Lagos. The initiative supports President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration’s goal of providing digital identity for all Nigerians.
Dr. Tanko Sununu, Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, confirmed his ministry will work with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to implement the NIN requirement for accessing social services and assistance programs aimed at vulnerable populations.
NIMC Director-General Dr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote stressed the need for inter-agency cooperation to create an inclusive national identity system. As of October of last year, NIMC had issued NINs to 115 million Nigerians and legal residents, below the World Bank’s expanded target of 180 million enrollments by 2026.
The requirement comes as Nigeria enhances its digital identity infrastructure. The country is also preparing to launch a new biometric ID card that combines multiple forms of identification, including passport, driver’s license, and health insurance information.
Citizens can retrieve their NIN by dialing *346# on their registered phone number. The government has not yet announced when the new requirement will take effect.
This initiative is part of Nigeria’s broader digitalization efforts, which include the recent launch of a digital biometric registry for farmers and plans for the country’s first biometric census in 2025.
Sources: Nairametrics, Vanguard Nigeria, The Nation Online
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February 12, 2025 – by the ID Tech Editorial Team
