Nigerians with NIN reach 104.16 million as at December 2023 but falls short of Government Targets

As of December 2023, the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has reported a noteworthy increase in the number of Nigerians with National Identification Numbers (NINs), reaching a total of 104.16 million. This marks a 10.77% growth from the end of December 2022, where the recorded figure stood at 94.03 million. Despite the significant rise, only 10.13 million individuals registered for NIN in 2023, signaling a considerable gap from the Federal Government’s ambitious target of 2.5 million monthly registrations.

The monthly average of enrolments throughout 2023 reveals that approximately 844,167 Nigerians obtained NINs each month, falling significantly short of the government’s set objective. This figure is notably lower than the 21.33 million registrations recorded in 2022. While the numbers highlight progress, they underscore the challenges in achieving the targeted registration rate.

Lagos State recorded the highest cumulative enrolment figure, exceeding 11.4 million, with regional distribution indicating a near-equal spread between the North and South. Notably, 530,345 Nigerians in the diaspora have acquired NINs, contributing to a total of 59.12 million male and 45.04 million female Nigerians having NINs.

The top five states leading in NIN enrolments include Lagos (11.43 million), Kano (9.19 million), Kaduna (6.45 million), Ogun (4.41 million), and Oyo (4.04 million). Conversely, the bottom five states in descending order are Taraba (1.49 million), Cross-River (1.19 million), Ekiti (1.03 million), Ebonyi (839,506), and Bayelsa (657,484).

Despite the concerted efforts, the numbers fall short of the government’s National Development Plan 2021-2025, aiming to enroll 100 million Nigerians in three years at a rate of 2.5 million people monthly. The challenges in data availability in the country were acknowledged as a hurdle.

In response to the ongoing registration drive, the NIMC appointed a new Director-General in 2023, and the Acting Director-General/Chief Executive Officer, Abisoye Coker-Odusote, assured a seamless registration process for NIN in both the country and the diaspora. Emphasizing the importance of a unified identity system, Coker-Odusote stated that the NIMC would strengthen operations and regulation related to national identity services.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigerian Communications Commission have also directed individuals to link their bank accounts and SIMs with their NINs, issuing deadlines for compliance. In December 2023, CBN issued a directive imposing a “Post No Debit” restriction on all bank accounts without a Bank Verification Number (BVN) and National Identification Number (NIN) effective April 2024.

While the registration drive continues, achieving the ambitious targets remains a collective challenge that involves various stakeholders in the public and private sectors.