NIMC to unveil new 3-in-1 ID card enabling payments
Story from Onuoha Sussan
The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has announced plans to launch a new 3-in-1 ID card for Nigerians, which will combine identification, financial payments, and social services functionalities.
This initiative is expected to be rolled out between July and August this year, aiming to facilitate easier financial transactions for Nigerian citizens using the new National ID card.
A high-ranking member of the implementation team, who wished to remain anonymous, confirmed in an interview that the multipurpose card will be available to citizens nationwide once all preparations are complete.
The official highlighted the commission’s diligent efforts to meet its goals, stating that the plan is on track for a launch in the upcoming months.
“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 on plan and if there is any shift, the public will know,” the official said.
The deployment process, currently in its testing and integration phase, involves configuring the card, enabling outlets and wallets, and ensuring the system’s scalability. The official noted that these tasks are crucial for the successful implementation of the new technology.
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“When you are deploying a new technology, there is a lot of work to be done. You need to configure the card, enable the outlet, and enable the wallet to work. We also have to do tests and that is what is ongoing,” the official explained.
He added, “The deployment is ongoing, the portal that people need to access the service has to be deployed, and we have to make sure that it is scalable and those are the ongoing works. 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.”
In collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Nigeria Inter-bank Settlement System, the NIMC is ensuring that the new ID card is properly enabled to serve the public without any issues. This identity solution, equipped with payment capabilities for all types of social and financial services, is part of a broader effort to enhance service delivery in a more innovative, cost-effective, and competitive manner.
The initiative includes a bank-enabled National ID card, a social intervention card, and an optional ECOWAS National Biometric Identity Card, providing increased options for domestic consumers and fostering improved service delivery.
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