…By Jack Sylva for TDPel Media.
The Federal Government, led by President Muhammadu Buhari, has urged Nigerians to request their commercial banks to issue them a debit card that can also function as their national identity card.
This announcement was made by the Minister of Communications, Isa Pantami, during a briefing in Abuja.
Pantami revealed that this initiative would come at no cost to the citizens and that the approval was granted during a meeting of the Federal Executive Council presided over by President Buhari at the Presidential Villa.
The Minister explained that the approval was based on a memorandum from the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), which allowed banks to print multipurpose debit cards that could also serve as national identity cards.
He clarified that this would be a versatile card, functioning both as a national identity card and as a bank card, such as Mastercard or Visa.
While the NIMC Act of 2007 mandates Nigerians to have a National Identity Number (NIN) rather than a physical card, there has been an increasing demand for the cards.
Pantami acknowledged that citizens, especially those residing in rural areas, often visit NIMC offices requesting the physical card, despite it being optional.
To address this issue, NIMC introduced a smart ID card last year, which could be downloaded through the NIMC app.
However, this method proved challenging for individuals in rural communities.
To make the process more convenient, Pantami revealed that NIMC had collaborated with the Central Bank of Nigeria to enable interested citizens to easily obtain the physical card from relevant banks.
Banks are now authorized to print the card alongside a Mastercard or Visa card, providing a unified solution for identification and banking needs.