Nigeria's National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has moved a date for compulsory use of the National Identification Number (NIN) forward from September 1, 2015 to January 9, 2016, saying it needs to work on harmonising biometric data.The NIMC said it needs more time for the implementation due to a recent directive by incoming President Muhammadu Buhari, that all ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) should harmonise their biometric databases.The extension will allow the commission to progress further ongoing efforts with the MDAs that have reached advanced stages of harmonisation with the NIMC, including the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Federal Road Safety Corp, Federal Inland Revenue Service, PenCom, the Independent National Electoral Commission, NHIS, and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.”This [extension] would help avoid the situation similar to what was experienced when the CBN wanted to enforce the cut off date for the BVN [bank verification number], leading to a late rush to meet the deadline/massive turn out of citizens and the troubles they had to go through”.”Management has expressed satisfaction with the ongoing distribution of the national eID Cards and increasing appreciation of the fact that it is both a KYC Card and a Payment Card,” the NIMC wrote in a statement. “Also the public are greatly appreciating that 'the NIN and not the Card, is Your Identity'.”In August 2014, Nigeria launched one of Africa's most ambitious financial inclusion and identity verification projects, with 100 million Nigerians set to receive a biometric-based verification card with an electronic payment solution from MasterCard.The e-ID card forms a key component of the Nigerian Identity Management System, deployed by NIMC as part of its mandate to create, maintain and operate the country's first central National Identity Database and provide proof of identity to Nigerians 16 years and older. With 13 applications, including MasterCard's prepaid payment technology and Cryptovision's biometric identification technology, the e-ID card will provide millions of Nigerians – the majority of whom have never had access to a banking product – with the security, convenience and reliability of electronic payments. To receive the e-ID card, eligible citizens need to register at one of the hundreds of NIMC enrolment centres nationwide. The enrolment process involves the recording of an individual's demographic data and biometric data (capture of 10 fingerprints, facial picture and iris) to authenticate the cardholder and ensure that there are no duplicates on the system. Upon registration, NIMC issues each Nigerian with a unique National Identification Number (NIN), followed by the national e-ID card.

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