Govt Announces Launch Of Multipurpose Card - A Merger Of NIN And Debit Card

The Federal Government announced on Wednesday that Nigerians can request their commercial banks to issue them a form of a multipurpose card, which can be used as a debit card as well as a national identity card.

Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Pantami explained that this new card will be a form of "multipurpose card where it will serve as your national identity card on one hand and also your bank card on the other hand, either MasterCard, Visa or any other kind of card," Punch reported.

The minister made it clear that getting this card is optional and not mandatory for anyone. Although he explained the reason behind launching it.

"As in the NIMC Act 2007, section 27, what is mandatory for our citizens and legal residents is the acquiring of the National Identity Number, not the card. However, the card is optional," he said. "But many citizens, particularly those living in rural communities, always go to NIMC offices complaining that they need the card at hand, even though it's optional."

He continued to explain that to make things easier for the citizens, National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) introduced a smart ID card that can be downloaded from the NIMC app.

"It is just a smart card. You don't need to have it physically, but that is becoming difficult for our people living in rural communities," he added. "NIMC has partnered with the Central Bank of Nigeria so citizens who are interested in having a card at hand can easily go to the relevant banks."

According to the minister, banks have permission to print these cards alongside either MasterCard or Visa cards to make them multipurpose cards. He clarified that there is no additional cost to citizens for getting this card.

"When you apply for a card at your bank, you can indicate that 'I want this card to be multiple purposes whereby it will serve as my bank card and also my national identity card,'" he said. "Both of them are going to be printed on the same card and it is going to serve the same purposes without any additional costs."

He added, "So that memo has also been approved by the Federal Executive Council."

Moreover, to protect the privacy and confidentiality of the card applicants, NIMC and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) have signed a non-disclosure agreement. The minister said that the person's application will be sent online to the NIMC through their database.

The outgoing minister continued, "When they verify and confirm that your record in the database is in alignment with your record in the NIMC database, it will be permitted and the card is going to be printed for you immediately."

The announcement came a few days before President Muhammadu Buhari and his ministers are about to step down from their positions and the former governor of Lagos State, Bola Ahmed Tinubu will take over the regime on May 29.