The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has released five regulations to support the mandatory use of the National Identification Number (NIM).
The gazetted guidelines are:
- Mandatory Use of the National Identification Number (NIN) Regulations, 2017
- The Nigeria Bio-metrics Standard Regulations, 2017.
- Registration of Persons and Contents of the National Identity Database Regulations, 2017.
- Access to Register Information in the National Identity Database Regulations, 2017
- Licensing of the Front-end Services of the National Identity Management Commission Regulations, 2017.
In a statement released by the General Manager, Legal, Regulatory and Compliance Services (LR&CS), Mrs. Hadiza Dagabana, said it was aimed at realizing the NIMC mandate in the upcoming years.
She said:
“With the increase and expansion of the commission’s activities, the new policy is seeking to develop the identity eco-system in the country, as well as meeting its mandate of harmonizing all identity-related databases.”
“It is necessary to promulgate regulations which consist of the set of principles, practices, policies, processes and procedures to be utilized in achieving the desired objectives.”
The commission had in November 2016 announced the commencement process to document and publish these regulations, pursuant to Sections 27 and 31 of the NIMC Act, 2007.
The Act provides supplementary regulations to cover the commission’s various services and offerings.
The NIMC had earlier in the year, disclosed that the identification number would become a major pre-condition for citizenship, adding that an enforcement of no NIN, no international passport, may begin in January 2018.
The Director-General of the NIMC, Aliyu Aziz, had warned that any Nigerian without the NIN would be regarded as a non-Nigerian citizen.
There is however growing concern among Nigerians over the inability of the agency to produce the Permanent National Identity Card,seven years after its inception and with a huge amount of money already allocated to it by the Federal Government.
The NIMC came into the existence as a result of the passage of the NIMC Act of 2007. The ACT provides for the establishment of the NIMC, its functions, powers, establishment of the National Identity Database, assignment and use of General Multi-purpose cards, and the National Identification Number (NIN).
