NIN: Dearth of NIMC centres encourage business centres to extort N500 from Nigerians
A recent select states survey by Business Hilights Intelligence Unit (BHIU) on the ongoing registration to access the apparently compulsory National Identity Number (NIN) from the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), has revealed epileptic service delivery at the Commission’s designated centres, thus giving rise to use of business centres by many Nigerians.
The survey discovered that many of the NIMC centres at local government headquarters in Lagos, Imo, Kogi and Kwara States lacked regular power supply to drive steady registration of Nigerians in need of the service.
Accordingly, business centres have taken over the business as they charge between N500 and N1,000 to register any person who wishes to get NIN for official purposes.
Efforts to find out why NIMC centres especially at some local government headquarters in the surveyed states do not have alternative power sources failed at press time.
However, in one of the visited Local government headquarters in Imo State, the NIMC officer who pleaded anonymity noted that they were not given any other source of power and that was why they only rely on public power which has not been encouraging.
The official revealed that due to the situation, many Nigerians in need of the NIN slip now patronize business centres and pay money ranging from N500 to N1,000 depending on the state or area.
Only recently, the Commission commenced nationwide data update and modification for all applicants, who wish to effect changes to the personal information supplied during enrolment for National Identification Number.
According to the Head, Corporate Communications at NIMC, Mr Loveday Ogbonna, he disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Wednesday in Abuja.
He added that to obtain this service, applicants are required to visit any of the Commissions’ enrolment centres to make enquiries or indicate the type of data he or she desires to update.
“The applicant is expected to submit a list of the requisite relevant documents which include; applicants NIN, marriage certificate, birth certificate, court affidavit, newspaper publication, among others.
“The applicant is also informed about the service charges of N500.00 or multiple of N500.00 depending on the number of changes and this will be paid through the Remita Platform.
“Upon payment and confirmation of appropriate fees, the applicant is given an enrollment and modification form to fill. Thereafter, the completed form is verified by the commission,’’ he explained.
Ogbonna also said that modification to some of the applicants’ data such as the date of birth is restricted and subject to approval from the Director-General of NIMC, Engr Aliyu Abubakar Aziz.
