*The National Identity Management Commission, once again, pledges to launch and deliver its much-expected upgraded General Multipurpose Card (GMPC) to Nigerians shortly, in 2025, 11 years after the Federal Government first launched the National Electronic Identity (e-ID) Card initiative

Isola Moses | 绿帽献妻

For what several Nigerians have described as its apparent inefficiency and poor management of the national identity system for over a decade ago, the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), again, has pledged to launch and deliver the much-expected Multipurpose Electronic Identity Cards (e-ID Cards) to consumers “soon”.

The Federal Government, through NIMC, has restated its commitment to launching the upgraded General Multipurpose Card (GMPC) shortly in 2025.

It should be noted that instead registering Nigerians for the National Identification Numbers (NINs) and issuing the e-ID Cards simultaneously, NIMC rather has decided to continue issuing only NIN slips to the citizens for the past 11 years.

绿帽献妻 reports former Nigerian President Jonathan Goodluck launched the new Nigerian National Electronic Identity Card August 28, 2014.

The e-ID Card is a smart card that contains a chip with biometric information and is linked to a unique National Identification Number (NIN).

The Commission described the new National ID Card as a single, convenient, and General Multipurpose Card (GMPC), that eliminates the need for multiple cards.

鈥淭he innovative card made in collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS), is to be powered by AfriGO, a National domestic card scheme licensed by the CBN to provide cost-effective and transparent card payments,鈥� it also said.

Currently, the 26 commercial and microfinance banks are issuing the AfriGo cards in the country, a report noted.

NIMC further indicated that the innovation would address the demand for physical identification enabling cardholders to prove their identity, and access government and private social services.

On the voters鈥� card, the Commission says several meetings with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) are ongoing to see how a merger is visible for just a card for Nigerians.