The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has unveiled a mobile application for modification of data on the National Identification Number (NIN).
According to the post made by NIMC on Saturday via X, Nigerians can make corrections of name, date of birth, and phone numbers incorrectly registered with their NIN on the mobile application.
The application and online portal allows visitors to register to use the service. Thereafter, it requests for visitors’ NIN, last name, email address before launching the data modification channel.
In the past, modifying data on the National Identification Number (NIN) has posed challenges for Nigerians. Hundreds of individuals have flocked to NIMC offices across the country to either register for the NIN or request corrections to their data.
The situation became more concerning for many in 2021 when the NIMC announced fees ranging from N5,000 to N15,000 for rectifying incorrect data on the NIN database.
Funmi Opensanwo, the NIMC regional coordinator in Alausa, Lagos, explained that these charges vary depending on the type of correction needed, such as name, address, card renewal or replacement, and date of birth.
According to Opensanwo, the processing fee for correcting the date of birth is N15,000, while card renewal or replacement incurs a fee of N5,000.
Similarly, modifying one’s name and address also requires a fee of N5,000. She clarified that these fees are for the services rendered and are payable to the Treasury Single Account (TSA), not to any individual.
Opensanwo’s statements were made in response to allegations that NIMC officials were unlawfully demanding fees from Nigerians to link their NIN to their SIM cards.
As of 2021, the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) has mandated all mobile networks to ensure that all phone numbers are linked to an NIN.
Furthermore, the NCC has extended the compulsory linking of NIN to bank accounts, with defaulters facing the risk of account suspension