The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has uncovered a network of individuals posing as its personnel and distributing counterfeit National Identity Numbers (NIN) to unsuspecting citizens.
This discovery comes amidst a surge in NIN enrollments, with over 107.34 million Nigerians now registered in the NIN database as of May 2024, compared to 104 million in December 2023.
At a press briefing held in Abuja, NIMC Director General, Abisoye Coker-Odusote, disclosed the fraudulent activities orchestrated by these impostors. She outlined their deceptive tactics, which involve impersonating business vendors and cyber cafes to fabricate NINs and deceive citizens into believing they are legitimate. These fake NINs, however, do not register on the NIMC server, leaving victims vulnerable to scams.
Odusote emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating, “We have recorded an influx of individuals claiming to have paid money to these fraudsters, only to realize they are not affiliated with NIMC.” She further revealed that several offenders have been apprehended and are currently facing prosecution by relevant security agencies.
The crackdown on these fraudulent activities follows numerous complaints from victims, including one case where a citizen was extorted of over N120,000 for a falsified birth certificate modification.
In response to these challenges, NIMC is intensifying efforts to synchronize identity databases across government agencies, aiming to establish a comprehensive Central Identity database. Additionally, plans are underway to bolster the capacity of the NIN database from 100 million to 250 million within the next nine months, signaling a commitment to ensuring efficient and reliable identity management systems.
Looking ahead, NIMC is set to launch the General Multipurpose National Identity Card, which will require payment through financial institutions. Similar to accessing ATM cards, Nigerians will pay through banks to obtain their digital multipurpose cards within 48 hours of payment.
