‘Nigerians to get national identity cards by 2022’

Director-General of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Aliyu Abubakar Aziz said tripartite efforts of World Bank, the European Union and the commission are under way to issue all Nigerians with the identity card by 2022.

The NIMC boss told BBC Hausa Radio that with 19 million already issued the identity number, the commission targets to reach 28 million by the end of 2017, as more registration opportunities are being provided.

Aziz said the trio organisations want to provide all Nigerians with the card within the next 3 - 5 years.

“We register everybody and even children. Once a baby is born, the National Population Commission will register the baby and issue certificate. Then we also register the baby and issue the identity number. This identity number is like the Social Security Number in the United States. It is also like the BVN,” Aziz said.

He said there would be time when all dealings with government agencies would be tied with the provision of the identity number, which underline the need for all Nigerians to be enrolled.

The Director-General said it has been made mandatory by law for all Nigerians to be registered and issued with the identity number, including foreigners legally staying in Nigeria.

“Foreigners who enter Nigeria legally and could stay for up to two years should get the identity number because going forward, all government offices would ask the number for any activity,” he said.

When asked about the registration of rural dwellers, he said “We have offices in all the local governments, with about 500 of the offices equipped with necessary registration tools. We are also working hard to provide the tools to other local governments.

“Therefore, our rural communities should go to those offices and they would get their identity number. Don’t forget we also have some special centres, like in the universities.”

He said Nigerians abroad could also register by going to embassies of the country and register.

“The law says all Nigerians, irrespective of where they are - overseas or here - shall get it. We are partnering with Nigerian Immigration for diaspora Nigerians to go to our embassies and register and their information sent to us. And we then issue the number to them from here,” Aziz said.