Nigerians without identity number can’t get loans — NIMC

The National Identity Management Commission says one major reason most Nigerians are not getting access to credit from financial institutions, even after meeting up with other requirements, is lack of the National Identification Number.

The Director-General, NIMC, Aliyu Aziz, who stated this to our correspondent on Friday, said any Nigerian without the NIN issued by the commission would soon run the risk of being regarded as a non-Nigerian by financial institutions in the country.

“The NIN enhances access to credit from financial institutions, protects citizens from identity theft, thereby being an antidote to identify theft driven frauds,” Aziz said.

He said, “It expands access to other financial services, including insurance. It enhances e-commerce by providing a means of payment. It is a tool for non-repudiation and security for financial transactions and it facilitates financial inclusion and hence cashless economy.”
 Other benefits of the NIN, the NIMC director-general said, included, “one person, one identity. It enhances participation in the political process. It is an important tool for the fight against corruption and terrorism.

 “It enables citizens to exercise their rights and facilitates management of subsidies and safety net payments such as the one that applies to Internally Displaced Persons.”
 Posing the question of ‘who you are ‘ which every human being is faced with globally, Aziz explained that the NIMC was established “to provide a single version of truth or unique identity for every citizen and foster the orderly development of an identity sector in Nigeria.”
 He stated that Nigerians should utilise the opportunity provided by the Federal Government through the NIMC, and obtain a NIN.

 “With the current campaign, the NIMC will continue to enlighten Nigerians on the importance of enrolling to obtain the National Identification Number, which fully confers on any citizen so enrolled Nigerian citizenship.
 “Without the NIN, anyone’s claims of being a Nigerian citizen are doubtful; that is what the NIMC Act stipulates,” he added.

The NIMC was established by the NIMC Act No. 23 of 2007, as an offshoot of the Department of National Civic Registration, to create, establish and maintain a unique National Identity Database, register persons covered by the Act, assign a unique National Identification Number, provide authentication platform for identity verification, issue general multi-purpose cards and harmonise and integrate existing identification databases in Nigeria.

( Punch)