House of Representatives yesterday urged the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to redesign the National Identity Cards to include the National Identity Number (NIN).
The House adopted the motion of urgent public importance sponsored by the lawmaker representing Ekeremor/ Sagbama federal constituency, Bayelsa, Hon Fredrick Agbedi.
While noting that NIN is used for virtually all transactions in Nigeria requiring identity verification, Agbedi said the commission has started issuing digital ID cards which display only the name, age and nationality of the holder without displaying the NIN number.
This, he said, has brought untold hardship to the citizens while trying to retrieve their NIN via short codes provided by telecommunications providers at a cost.
“Also, aware that the number is issued and managed by the National Identity Management Commission established to manage Nigerians identity in government institutions, register individuals and introduce general multipurpose cards. The NIN which matches with your biometrics, is said to be used for virtually all transactions in Nigeria requiring identity verification,” he said.