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Tag: NIN

  • ECMR: Your NIN is safe with us, say police

    ECMR: Your NIN is safe with us, say police

    The police have assured Nigerians that their National Identification Number (NIN) requested for the Electronic Central Motor Registry (ECMR) was in safe hands.

    Lagos Police Commissioner, Adegoke Fayoade gave the assurance to The Nation when he was asked why the service was requesting people’s NIN, a private number that should be protected by the owner.

    He said the request was to aid in the investigation and recovery of stolen vehicles, explaining that the NIN was the unique number which all Nigerians are expected to have.

    Fayoade clarified that the CMR process had been in existence since 1970 but was only recently introduced electronically so that individual vehicle owners could do the registration from the comfort of their homes or offices without visiting the police station.

    He said: “The NIN is being asked on the ECMR, in order to link the number with the particulars of the owner of the vehicle. This is to assist in the investigation and recovery of stolen cars.

    “You will agree with me that the NIN is one of the unique means of identification for each Nigerian and so, what we want to achieve is to ensure that every vehicle that is registered in this country can be traced to its owner through the NIN.

    “Once you visit the ECMR portal, you will be asked to provide your name, NIN, passport number or driver’s license number before you can proceed

    “By providing any of these numbers, we have your system in our central database. So, when you register a vehicle it is linked to it. In case that vehicle is stolen and someone else wants to register it, it will alert the police and we can then go after the new person attempting to register the vehicle to provide it.

    “There are many benefits to having your NIN linked to your particulars. So, Nigerians should know that their NIN is safe with the police.”

    The Nation reports that many Nigerians have asked why government agencies were requesting personal data from individuals rather than synchronizing the various data collected for Driver’s Licence, International Passport, NIN and Bank Verification Numbers (BVN), among others.

    Many have wondered why the country was yet to have a central database for the storage of personal information of citizens and residents rather than having too many agencies collecting personal information from the masses with no guarantees on their data protection rights.

    But sources yesterday told our Correspondent that retrieving personal data from any of those agencies for investigation was usually cumbersome for the police especially when it relates to car theft.

    “It is usually a difficult process to get data from the FRSC. Most times information needed to investigate car theft is needed urgently so that the vehicle can be speedily recovered. That is why the police have reintroduced the CMR process and made it more efficient.

    “It is a document that must be renewed annually and it is for all vehicles not just new ones. The good thing is that the amount paid for first-time registration is halved for subsequent ones,” said a senior police officer yesterday.

    Read Also: PalmPay to users: update BVN/NIN or risk account closure Jan. 31st

    He advised Nigerians to visit the website and read the frequently asked questions to clear any doubts they might have.

    A motorist who tried to register on January 26 without success shared his experience with our Correspondent.

    He wrote: “I’ve been on the site now for over 30 minutes. I don’t think the site is really ready for this exercise. For more than 30 minutes now I have not received any token.

    “I have tapped on the “call” button provided if you do not receive a token but it didn’t work. So I’m stuck at this point.”

  • NIN and passports

    NIN and passports

    Everything must be done to sustain current tempo of efficiency 

    Within five months of his assumption of office as Minister of Interior, Mr Olubunmi Ojo has deservedly earned plaudits as one of the high-flying, action-oriented and result-driven members of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Federal Executive Council. In particular, the minister has been widely admired for the speed and sense of urgency within which the backlog of over 240,000 passports stuck at the National Immigration Service (NIS) on his assumption of office had been cleared after he had given the officers in charge a two-week deadline to do so.

    This feat showed that achieving results and overcoming bureaucratic bottlenecks to meet specific deadlines and promote efficiency is no rocket science, with dedicated and competent leaders at the head of various ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).

    However, despite this commendable attainment which has been the hallmark of Mr Olubunmi-Ojo’s flying start to his assignment, there are some members of the public who reportedly still experience avoidable delays in the processing and issuance of their passports. Even though such persons may now obviously be a distinct minority of those requesting for passports, the aim of the NIS must be to attain 100 percent efficiency in the issuance of the critical document, such that the agency cannot be blamed for those who fail to collect the passports within specified deadlines.

    A report by the ‘New Telegraph’ newspaper indicates that whatever delays currently experienced by some persons in the processing, issuance and collection of their passports is due to “discrepancies” in the information provided by applicants, particularly with reference to their National Identification Number (NIN). Sources within the NIS were quoted as saying that applications with inaccessible identification numbers cannot be integrated into the system, resulting into delays in issuing and processing. Perhaps a key factor responsible for this is the reported transfer of the NIS from the Ministry of Communications to the Ministry of Interior and the attendant organisational transition problems involved in the integration and merger of new systems.

    It has thus become imperative that the process of acceleration and integration of technological architecture involved in the passport administration and management mechanism be expedited to remove any glitches, especially with regard to the NIN, and the need to ensure accuracy of their NIN before submitting their applications for processing.

    Read Also: Passports ready three weeks after capturing – Comptroller General

    Another problem, according to the spokesman of the NIS, DCI Aridegbe Adedotun, responding to inquiries from the newspaper, is that some applicants allegedly fail to pick up their passports for months after processing and ready for issuance even when the passports are ready for collection within three or four days. 

    We suggest that NIS should reach such applicants through phone calls or text messages to come forward to collect their passports. In cases where the applicants are deceased, for instance, it may be necessary for such applicants’ passports to be destroyed so that they don’t get into wrong hands.

    Overall, there is no doubt that there has been a marked improvement in the passport application, production and issuance processes under Mr Olubunmi- Ojo; everything should be done to sustain the tempo and continually improve on current attainments so that there is no regression to the inefficiencies and incompetence of the past.

  • CBN freezes accounts without BVN, NIN March 2024

    CBN freezes accounts without BVN, NIN March 2024

    Bank accounts without Bank Verification Number (BVN) and National Identity Number (NIN) will be frozen by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) with effect from March next year.

    This is part of sweeping amendments rolled out by the CBN to the regulatory framework for BVN operations and watch-list for the Nigerian banking industry.

    These changes, impacting account holders across tiers, mark a significant shift in banking compliance and customer requirements.

    The new directives announced by the CBN entail several changes. Individuals holding Tier-1 bank accounts and wallets are now mandated to possess BVN and/or National Identification Number (NIN).

    Tier1 accounts are bank accounts that require minimal documentation, usually the mere presentation of a BVN and a means of identification before opening with a maximum withdrawal limit of N50,000 daily and a cumulative balance limit of N300,000.

    The requirement for BVN and NIN remains applicable to individual accounts within Tiers 2 and 3.

    The account opening process will now involve electronically retrieving BVN or NIN-related information from the NIBSS’ BVN or NIMC’s NIN databases. This data will serve as primary information for onboarding new customers.

    Existing individual customer accounts with validated BVNs will now be profiled in the NIBSS’ ICAD within 24 hours of account opening.

    Read Also: Why Emefiele remains in detention in spite of bail

    The implementation procedures are multifaceted. According to the CBN circular, opening new Tier-1 accounts and wallets without BVN or NIN is prohibited with immediate effect.

    From March 1, 2024, funded accounts without BVN or NIN will face restrictions. Unfunded accounts will also be restricted until compliance. All BVN or NIN associated with accounts/wallets must be electronically revalidated by January 31, 2024.

    The CBN has urged compliance officers to familiarise themselves with the Guidance Notes accompanying the circular as they apply to all institutions regulated by the CBN.

    Furthermore, a comprehensive BVN and NIN audit is imminent, and sanctions will be imposed on identified breaches.

    The revised protocols for onboarding new customers stipulates the prohibition of manual creation of customer profiles with subsequent BVN or NIN attachment and mandatory electronic authentication using BVN or NIN details for new customers.

    Any inconsistencies, the CBN warned, will halt the onboarding process.

    Banks are now required to profile customers’ accounts on NIBSS ICAD within 24 hours of generating an account number.

    These amendments, the CBN said, are geared towards fortifying the integrity and security of the Nigerian banking system.

    The apex bank noted that compliance with these directives is imperative for all regulated financial institutions to ensure seamless operations and avoid penalties.

  • JUST IN: CBN freezes accounts without BVN, NIN April 2024

    JUST IN: CBN freezes accounts without BVN, NIN April 2024

    From April 2024, accounts without Bank Verification Number (BVN) and National Identity Number (NIN) will be frozen, the Central Bank of Nigeria has announced. 

    These changes, impacting account holders across tiers, mark a significant shift in banking compliance and customer requirements.

    The new directives announced by the CBN entail several pivotal alterations. Individuals holding Tier-1 bank accounts and wallets are now mandated to possess BVN and/or National Identification Number (NIN).

    Tier1 accounts are bank accounts that require minimal documentation usually the mere presentation of a BVN and a means of Identification before opening with a maximum withdrawal limit of N50,000 daily and a cumulative balance limit of N300,000.

    The requirement for BVN and NIN remains applicable to individual accounts within Tiers 2 and 3.

    The account opening process will now involve electronically retrieving BVN or NIN-related information from the NIBSS’ BVN or NIMC’s NIN databases. This data will serve as primary information for onboarding new customers.

    Read Also: Kassim Afegbua: Why I joined Edo 2024 governorship race on APC platform

    Existing individual customer accounts with validated BVNs will now be profiled in the NIBSS’ ICAD within 24 hours of account opening.

    The implementation procedures are multifaceted. According to the CBN circular, opening new Tier-1 accounts and wallets without BVN or NIN is prohibited with immediate effect.

    From March 1, 2024, funded accounts without BVN or NIN will face restrictions. Unfunded accounts will also be restricted until compliance. 

    All BVN or NIN associated with accounts/wallets must be electronically revalidated by January 31, 2024.

    The CBN has urged compliance officers to familiarize themselves with the Guidance Notes accompanying the circular as they apply to all institutions regulated by the CBN. 

    Furthermore, a comprehensive BVN and NIN audit is imminent, and sanctions will be imposed on identified breaches.

    The revised protocols for onboarding new customers stipulates the prohibition of manual creation of customer profiles with subsequent BVN or NIN attachment and mandatory electronic authentication using BVN or NIN details for new customers. 

    Any inconsistency, the CBN warned will halt the onboarding process.

    Banks are now required to profile customers’ accounts on NIBSS ICAD within 24 hours of generating an account number.

    These amendments, the CBN said, are geared towards fortifying the integrity and security of the Nigerian banking system. 

    The apex bank noted that compliance with these directives is imperative for all regulated financial institutions to ensure seamless operations and avoid penalties.

  • NIN enrollment is free, says NIMC, urges Nigerians to report extortion

    NIN enrollment is free, says NIMC, urges Nigerians to report extortion

    The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has said the process of obtaining a National Identification Number (NIN) is free at all centres across the country. 

    The Commission advised members of the public to report any incident of extortion or any form of harassment in the course of enrollment.

    Acting Director-general/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Commission, Engineer Abisoye Coker-Odusote made this known in a statement issued on Monday in Abuja.

    Coker-Odusote said the Commission has a zero-tolerance policy for such misconduct, as it would not tolerate any act of extortion or harassment of citizens at enrollment centres.

    The DG who hinted that the advice was in the aftermath of recent arrests, said those found engaged in such activities will face the full force of the law.

    She added: “We want to strongly condemn and address such unlawful activities. It is crucial to emphasize that these actions are not only unethical but also illegal.

    Read Also: Niger Delta ethnic nationalities hail Tinubu for repositioning NDDC

    “NIMC has been made aware of certain reports involving some Front End Partners (FEPs) who were allegedly extorting money from members of the public for NIN enrollment even as they are currently being subjected to a revalidation process.

    “You can reach out to our official channels, including our website, social media platforms, or our helpline, to report such incidents.

    “Your reports will help us ensure that the NIN enrollment process remains free and accessible to all Nigerians.”

  • NIN impedes micro pension sales

    The National Identification Number (NIN) is a major requirement for validating identities for business and services, including pension. Omobola Tolu-Kusimo, reports that the requirement has slowed the take-off of the micro pension plan

    The Federal Government’s plan to use the Number (NIN) for validating citizenship is affecting the new Micro Pension Plan (MPP).

    The Nation gathered that sale of the product is being hindered by lack of NIN by many Nigerians, especially those working in the informal sector, who are targets of the MPP.

    NIN, along with Bank Verification Numbers (BVN),  is a major requirement by the National Pension Commission before a Pension Fund Administrator can register a prospective customer for the micro pension plan.

    While many interested persons are able to produce BVN, few are unable to do so with the NIN card.

    The Federal Government had mandated every Nigerian to have a NIN card. It aims to use it to tie all records about an individual in the database and use it to establish or verify his or her identity. All citizens and legal residents in the country, from birth and above, are eligible for enrolment.

    Many Nigerians are yet to have NIN due to the few centres provided by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) for registration, among other challenges. They have lamented the delays in the registration for the NIN and obtaining the card.

    Micro Pension, on the other hand, is an initiative of the Federal Government, through PenCom, to capture workers under the informal sector, such as artisans, actors and actresses, engineers, lawyers and other self-employed persons.

    PenCom Acting Director General Mrs Aisha Dahir-Umar said the commission estimates capturing 30 million people in the informal sector.

    She stated that the MPP is expected to mobilise about N3 trillion savings into the over N9.4 trillion pension assets in the country.

    Since the launch of the MPP by President Muhammadu Buhari in March, this year, PenCom and PFAs have embarked on campaigns to sell the products. Unfortunately, the sales of the product have been low because majority of the people do not have NIN.

    PFAs have, however, lamented the difficulties in registrating for  NIN and obtaining the card by NIMC.

    National Identity Management Agency Director-General Aliyu Aziz said so far, they have about 1,000 centres nationwide with enrolment hitting about 36 million persons.

    He said: “We have about 1,000 centres nationwide and have enrolled about 36 million persons. But that number is small, compared to the overall population, and the number of centres we have is also small. The standard is that for every 50,000 people, we need a centre. So, if we are approximately 200 million, it means that we need, at least, 4,000 centres to be optimal. But for the size of the country and the demand, we need up to 10,000 centres and the plan is to achieve that.

    “To cover the shortfall, we have come up with a sustainable programme nicknamed, Ecosystem; that is, to work with other government agencies and the private sector that are collecting data to send to the NIMC and the commission will pay them per successful enrolment.

    ‘’We have done a lot of preparation for this activity. Therefore, the number of enrolment centres will increase and there will be a motivation to carry out the enrolment because they will be paid. We believe that the ecosystem approach will solve the problem.

    “The focus before was on the card but we have learnt from the United States, the United Kingdom and India that the focus should be on the national identification number. Therefore, we have gone back to the foundation and that is why the number grew to 36 million. So, our law says that we should also issue a general multipurpose card and that the first issuance should be free; that was in 2012. But because of the economic situation, we were unable to issue 36 million cards free. So, the focus is to emphasise on the number and allow the government agencies to accept the number and issue services. So far, the banks, Nigeria Immigration Service, Federal Road Safety Corps, National Pension Commission and others accept the NIN to give you service and, therefore, reduce the pressure from the demand for the card.’’

    PenCom spokeperson, Mr Peter Aghahowa in a telephone conversation with The Nation said the commission is working to hasten the progress of the MPP.

    He confirmed that NIN has slowed down registration for the MPP.

    He disclosed that the commission is partnering NIMC to register people who want for micro pension.

    “The micro pension take-off has not been as fast as we want it but people are enrolling. It is a fact that NIN has affected it but we prefer to do it right. PenCom is having an arrangement with NIMC that will aid people to get NIN by collecting information and passing them to NIMC who then gives us the NIN number,” he added.

  • NIMC registers 1.7 m in Kaduna

    The National Identity Management Commission ( NIMC ) has so far registered 1.7 million people in Kaduna State, the commission’s coordinator in the state, Abubakar Hassan, has said.

    Hassan who made this known in an interview our reporter on Friday in Kaduna said the figure was however far below the eight million residents eligible for registration.

    According to him, the commission has 62 enrollment centres across the state for the registration of all residents for the issuance of the National Identity Number (NIN).

    The coordinator attributed the low figure to poor turnout of eligible residents for the registration.

    He however disclosed that the commission had partnered the National orientation Agency (NOA) to sensitize the public on the importance of obtaining the National Identification Number, as part of measures to address the problem of low turnout.

    Read Also: NIMC Sokoto Govt. to enlighten indigenes on NIN

    ” With the recent collaboration we have with NOA in sensitizing people on the importance of enrolling into the National Identity Management System, we hope to see an increased turnout of people in our enrollment centres.

    “More centres are coming to ensure that all citizens and legal residents are registered,” he stated.

    Hassan who explained that the NIN was mandatory for all citizens and legal residents of the country, and implored those who have not registered to do so as soon as possible.

    He added that the slip given to those who were enrolled contains an Identification number which would enable the user to make any legal transaction.

  • NIMC seeks NIN as requirement for asset declaration

    The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has urged the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) to make the National Identification Number (NIN) a basic requirement for asset declaration .

    The Director General NIMC,  Aliyu Aziz, made the call at the  Code of Conduct Sensitization Workshop in Abuja.

    He described as vital for the two agencies to collaborate, and make the NIN a basic requirement for public officers who come forward for asset declaration.

    He noted that the NIN will allow the Code of Conduct Bureau tie all records of public officers together, and automate the process so that searches for an individual and assets can be made with the unique NIN.

    He said: “The intention of the Commission is to work as an ecosystem with all data collecting agencies, save billions of tax payers’ money, and work towards the same goal of creating a unique National Identity Database in Nigeria.

    He explained that the ecosystem will go a long way in eliminating duplication of efforts and responsibility, and enhance security in  information sharing.

    “We are currently working with the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) which has made the NIN mandatory for land allocation within the FCT, and this process allows them track assets and transactions.”

    The Director General applauded the management of the Code of Conduct Bureau for its effort to enlighten and sensitize public officers on the codes and ethics of work expected of public officers in Nigeria.

    Deputy Director, Code of Conduct Bureau Okwoso promised to take back word to his to the Bureau on the need to include the NIN in the data capturing process of public officers at the point of registration.

    He urged members of staff of NIMC to abide by the codes and work ethics of the public officers, and cautioned against bribe taking, abuse of power, accepting and or soliciting for gifts/benefits of any kind, etc.

  • Buhari urges African nations to use NIN to enhance democracy

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday urged the African countries to use the numerous advantages inherent in the National Identification Number (NIN) to enhance the democratic processes on the continent.

    President Buhari, who was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha, made the call at the opening of the 4th Annual Conference of ID4Africa holding in Abuja.

    The ID4Africa is a multi-stakeholder movement that promotes the transparent and responsible adoption of digital identity in the service of development in Africa.

    “It is my desire and my charge to you that the National Identification Number (NIN) be used to enhance the democratic process in Africa in the immediate future,” he said.

    The President also said Africa needed to embrace the global drive towards optimisation in the use of resources by making its digital identity management infrastructure efficient.

    He said the step would help create an enabling environment for talented African youth to tap into these technologies.

    “Indeed, with the advent of destructive technologies, such as artificial intelligence, machine learning and block chain, now is the time to build an ecosystem that would enhance continental wide security, minimise fraud and wasteful expenditure,” he said.

    NAN

     

  • NIMC gazettes mandatory use of the NIN, others

    NIMC gazettes mandatory use of the NIN, others

    The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has gazetted and published five regulations, following an approval received from the  Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and the Minister of Justice in November, 2017.

    Its Head, Corporate Communication, Loveday Ogbonna, said the gazetted regulations are Mandatory Use of the National Identification Number (NIN) Regulations, 2017; Nigeria Biometrics Standard Regulations, 2017.

    Others are Registration of Persons and Contents of the National Identity Database Regulations, 2017; Access to Register Information in the National Identity Database Regulations, 2017; and Licensing of the Frontend Services of the National Identity Management Commission Regulations, 2017.

    Justifying the supplementary regulations, its General Manager, Legal, Regulatory and Compliance Services (LR&CS), Mrs. Hadiza Dagabana said it was essential towards the realisation of NIMC’s mandate in coming years.

    “It is necessary to promulgate regulations which consist of the set of principles, practices, policies, processes and procedures to be utilised to achieve the desired objectives. This is with the increase and expansion of the Commission’s activities, the new policy for the implementation of the NIMS and the desire of the Commission to develop the identity eco-system in Nigeria as well as meet its mandate of harmonising all identity related databases in the country.

    “The Regulations will ensure that the Commission actualises and effectively delivers on the National Identity Management System (NIMS) project in the coming years,” she said.