NIN Requirement Slows Katsina APC Electronic Registration

The mandatory use of the National Identity Number (NIN) has been identified as the major challenge to All Progressives Congress (APC) electronic membership registration in Katsina State.

The chief of staff to the Governor,  Alhaji Abdulkadir Mamman Nasir, revealed this to journalists after a closed-door stakeholders’ meeting of the party in Katstina.

He described the meeting as a strictly internal APC engagement which drew participants from across the party structure, including APC chairmen from the 34 local government areas, local council chairmen, members of the State House of Assembly, and members of the State Executive Council who are also party members.

According to him, the leadership became concerned after reviewing the low figures recorded in the ongoing digital registration exercise.

The stakeholders were therefore convened to determine the root cause of the slow turnout.

Deliberations at the meeting showed that the requirement for every member to link their party registration to a valid NIN has created unexpected difficulties.

Many prospective registrants either do not have a National Identity Number or have not completed the national identity registration process, making it impossible for them to proceed with the party’s e-registration.

Nasir noted that citizens often display a weak response to national documentation exercises, and this long-standing attitude is now directly affecting the APC’s internal administrative process.

What was intended to be a routine party membership update has become dependent on a national database system that many members are yet to fully access.

He further explained that, beyond the issue of possession of NIN, there are challenges related to the integration between the NIN verification system and the APC registration portal. Delays in verification and connectivity issues have also discouraged some members who attempted to register.

Despite these setbacks, the Chief of Staff said the party leadership has resolved to address the situation. Stakeholders discussed measures to improve the technical linkage between the two systems and to intensify awareness among members on the importance of obtaining their NIN.

Nasir emphasized that the NIN requirement is now a central part of the party’s digital reform and cannot be ignored. He therefore urged APC members to treat the acquisition of their National Identity Number as a priority, noting that full participation in the e-registration exercise depends largely on it.

He added that members should also encourage their family members and associates within the party to regularize their NIN status, stressing that overcoming this challenge is essential for building a credible and reliable party membership database in Katsina State.