What is NIN in Nigeria?
NIN means National Identification Number which is a unique set of numbers assigned to an individual who must be a Nigerian upon successful enrollment with their demographic data and biometric information such as ten fingerprints and digital signature.
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NIN Verification:
Your NIN data goes directly to the Nigeria’s National Identity Database, including your ten (10) fingerprints, head-to-shoulder facial picture, and digital signature, which are all used for checks to confirm that there is no previous entry of the same data.
For instance, if your details at the point of passport registration do not match your NIN, then there may be a problem, your application may be rejected.
Purpose of NIN for Nigerians
The National Identification Number is designed for identification purposes and for better service delivery in other government agencies for easy checks. NIN isn’t peculiar to only Nigeria, other countries have their means of identification which they call different names.
But, the purpose of NIN in Nigeria is even more than that. For instance, have you ever asked why you need NIN after all your data with INEC and similar forms of ID undertaken by the previous administration?
For Nigerian’s government, NIN supersedes others and it is now a prerequisite for other forms of registration. Here is the usefulness of NIN:
- It is used to match you with your biometric data and other details in the National Identity Database during verification and authentication.
- It is required to obtain a National e-ID card
- NIN is required to process an international passport application
- To obtain a Permanent Voters’ Card in Nigeria, you need NIN
- It is needed to open personal bank accounts
- NIN will be needed to get driver’s license in Nigeria
- If you want to participate in the National Health Insurance Scheme, you will have to provide your NIN
- You need NIN to pay taxes in Nigeria, the details will be used to match your claim.
- For civil servants, NIN is compulsory for transactions related to your contributory pension scheme
- For SMEs, proprietors will provide their NIN to access the government’s soft loan and other assisted-related financial packages for business owners.
The government of Nigeria also plans to use NIN for land transactions subject to the Land Use Act. According to the government, NIN data will be harmonized and integrated with various agencies across Nigeria for smooth service coordination.
Eligibility for NIN registration
First, you must be a Nigerian and must have attained the age of 16. Second, you have any of the following supporting documents:
- Certificate of Origin
- Declaration of age
- Birth certificate
- Attestation letter from religious/traditional leader
- Attestation letter from a prominent ruler in your community
- Bank Verification Number (BVN)
- Driver’s License
- Temporary or Permanent
- Nigerian International passport
- Old National ID Card
- Tax Clearance certificate
- Valid immigration documents
- NHIS ID card
- Government staff ID card
- Registered/recognized private organization staff ID card
- School ID Card (private/public)
- Nigerian Commission for Refugees (NCFR) Refugee Certificate
- Refugee ID card
- Refugee Factsheet
NIN Registration process
The process of registering for NIN in Nigeria is simple, here is the step-by-step guide to enrol:
- Walk into NIN Enrolment Centre near you with any of the supporting documents mentioned above
- Fill the Enrolment Form that will be given to you, provide accurate information.
- Submit the Enrolment form
- Verify your data on the system.
- The enrolment office takes your headshot photograph, fingerprints and signature
- Give your supporting document to the enrolment office to scan
- Your enrolment is acknowledged, at this stage, two slips are generated and given to you: 1) Transaction Slip (2) NIN Slip indicating completion of enrolment.
NIN registration Centres in Nigeria
If you are searching for where to complete your NIN registration, there are hundreds of centres spread across the 36 states in Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Here is the complete list of NIN registration centres near you, choose your state from the list below:
- Abia
- Adamawa
- Akwa Ibom
- Anambra
- Bauchi
- Bayelsa
- Benue
- Borno
- Cross River
- Delta
- Ebonyi
- Edo
- Ekiti
- Enugu
- Gombe
- Imo
- Jigawa
- Kaduna
- Kano
- Katsina
- Kebbi
- Kogi
- Kwara
- Lagos
- Nasarawa
- Niger
- Ogun
- Ondo
- Osun
- Oyo
- Plateau
- Rivers
- Sokoto
- Taraba
- Yobe
- Zamfara
- FCT
When was NIN introduced in Nigeria?
National Identity registration began in Nigeria in 2007.
Is BVN required for NIN registration?
If you don’t have BVN, you can use other means of identification like a Certificate of Origin, Declaration of age, or Birth Certificate, or attestation from a traditional rule in your community.
What will happen if I don’t register for NIN?
There is no punishment for not registering, but failure to have NIN will cut you off from many services e.g you won’t be able to open a bank account or passport and other things. It is better to have it for you won good.
NOTE:
There are also NIN registration centres in the U.S, the UK, Canada, Germany, Italy, and other countries around the world.