The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has announced that Nigerians will be required to pay for the new multipurpose national identity card as part of efforts to address limited government revenue. This was disclosed by Peter Iwegbu, head of card management services at NIMC, during a two-day press conference in Lagos on Thursday.

Iwegbu explained that the move to introduce fees for the cards was necessitated by the challenges faced in previous efforts to distribute free national identity cards. He noted that many Nigerians did not collect the cards that were produced, resulting in wasted resources.

“Before we stopped due to funding, we produced more than two million cards, but a lot of them are still in our office because people didn’t pick them up. They didn’t need it,” Iwegbu said.

Iwegbu emphasized that the government’s limited revenue played a significant role in the decision to charge for the new ID cards. By requiring payment, NIMC aims to ensure that the cards are issued only to those who genuinely need them, avoiding the inefficiencies of past initiatives.

He also highlighted that the commission is collaborating with banks across the country to streamline access to the new ID cards. “People will be able to walk into any bank closest to them and request the card,” he said.

The decision comes after years of challenges with the distribution of physical ID cards in Nigeria. In past efforts, over two million free cards were produced, but a significant portion remains uncollected. The new approach aims to address these inefficiencies while relieving the financial burden on the government.

NIMC’s new strategy aligns with broader efforts to modernize identity management in Nigeria, ensuring that only those who require the multipurpose card can obtain it, while also addressing the country’s fiscal constraints.