A Director of Policy and Managing Partner at the Data Privacy Lawyers Association (DPLAN), Barrister Oladipupo Ige, has faulted the National Identity Management Commission’s (NIMC) announcement of a new price list for the correction of date of birth (DOB) on the NIN database at N28,574.
He maintained in an interview with Nairametrics on Monday that the Commission allegedly failed to inform Nigerians about the exceptions for payment on DOB correction as enshrined in relevant laws.
Nairametrics previously reported that NIMC had on May 10, 2025, released a set of new prices for all its services relating to data modification on the National Identification Number (NIN) database and others.
According to the new price list, correction of date of birth (DOB) on the NIN database now costs N28,574.
This represents a 75% increase when compared with the N16,340 being charged initially for the same service.
What a Relevant Data Law Says
Nairametrics reports that Article 36 of GENERAL APPLICATION AND IMPLEMENTATION DIRECTIVE (GAID) 2025 deals with the Exercise of Right to Rectification.
Section 4 of Article 36 states that where data rectification is for the purpose of correcting an error made by a data controller or a data processor in inputting the personal data of a data subject, the data subject shall not be required to pay in order to correct an error which is not his or her fault.
The section further stated that it is important to ensure that a data subject is provided with manifestly ample opportunity to verify his or her data before such data is submitted in a permanent format.
DPLAN director reacts
Speaking to Nairametrics, Ige stated that the law is clear that a data institution like the NIMC must ensure that Nigerians who want to rectify their names must be allowed to know why the name is wrongly stated.
- He added that based on Article 36 of the NDP-GAID 2025, if the DOB correction is the fault of the citizen, then he or she must pay the sum, “but if not, such rectification is free of charge per law.”
- He stressed that while the NIMC has the power to charge fees and increase fees as they like, they don’t have the right to charge this fee on data rectification that is not the fault of the citizen.
- He alleges that what the NIMC is trying to do by the increment announcement on DOB is to charge everybody generally without finding out whose fault resulted in the DOB error.
- He stated that it will amount to a contravention of the law for the citizen to pay N28,000 for DOB correction, following NIMC’s fault.
“That’s not what the law says.
“What the NIMC needs to do is to clarify that position and make sure Nigerians don’t pay 28k for the mistake of the NIMC,” he stated.
- He maintained that the NIMC must account for why the public should pay that amount for name rectification by highlighting the cause of the error.
What You Should Know
NIMC, in its executive summary to the new price list, noted that the new price regime was influenced by the interrelated mandates to increase revenue drive, tax unification to broaden the tax net, social intervention, and new additions to its bouquet of products and services.
“Following due consultation with all departments and in consideration of the above and current market realities of inflation at 32.70%, we propose an upward review in the fees and charges for our product and services with a markup at least 20% across with exceptions to certain services per their peculiarities,” the Commission stated.
NIMC said it also considered the obtainable charges by sister agencies on similar services, i.e., Passports and Drivers’ License Services.
It added that it also took into consideration the Commission’s service for the public good, general interest, maintenance of its infrastructure, and the desire for self-sustenance.
