The National Identity Management Commission has announced that Nigerians will be able to use the proposed three-in-one identity card in two months.
Citizens nationwide will have access to the single multipurpose card, which combines various identity, financial, and social service functions, by August of this year, according to the statement.
In an exclusive interview on Friday, a senior member of the implementation team—who wished to remain anonymous—reveals the new details.
The official stated that the commission had been working tirelessly to meet its goals, adding that the plan remains on track and would be launched in the upcoming months.
He also disclosed that the commission has begun the testing and deployment stage.
The official said, “We actually plan for July although there have been a few delays but we are still hopeful that it would come in July. So we are hoping to get it done between July and August. We are still sticking to the plan, and the public will be informed if anything changes.
According to the official, there is a lot of work involved in deploying new technology. You must configure the card, enable the outlet, and enable the wallet in order for it to function. Additionally, we must continue to conduct tests.
“The portal that users must use to access the service must be deployed, and we must ensure that it is scalable. These are the ongoing tasks involved in the deployment.
“There are integrations that all the banks need to do to enable the card and all of those little details are ongoing. We have that target and we are working extra hard to make sure that we achieve that.”
On Friday, April 5, 2024, the NIMC announced that it had launched a new card layered with payment capabilities and social service features in collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Nigeria Inter-bank Settlement System.
It explained that the identity solution was equipped with payment capability for all types of social and financial services.
According to a statement issued, the initiative represents a collaborative effort to offer increased options for domestic consumers while fostering the delivery of services in a more innovative, cost-effective, and competitive manner.
A social intervention card, an optional ECOWAS National Biometric Identity Card, and a bank-enabled National ID card will all be included in the identity cards.
