There is a new rite of passage for Nigerian teenagers. Turning 16 used to mean having a small party or opening a GT or First Bank account. But starting in 2026, the Federal Government added a new requirement: a trip to the NIMC office. If your child just turned 16 or will soon, pay attention. The National Identity Number (NIN) you got for them when they were 10 is about to “expire.”
The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) issued an important notice: Children enrolled under the “Enrolment Register” (ER) must move their data to the “Citizens Register” (CR) as soon as they turn 16. If you don’t do this, their SIM cards MAY be blocked, their bank accounts frozen, and they COULD face problems with their JAMB registrations.
Moving from Child to Adult ID
To understand why this is happening, think of the NIN database as a digital filing cabinet. When you enrol a child under 16, their information is added to the ER (Enrolment Register).
As kids grow, their appearance changes, and they cannot sign documents on their own; parents need to do so for them. When they turn 16, the government sees them as adults. They need to move to the CR (Citizens Register).
This is not just a simple paperwork change. It is a biometric update. NIMC must capture their adult face and fingerprints to secure their identity for life. As the commission stated in their recent alert, “failure to migrate the data… could render the identity number inactive.”
Why Your Child’s ID Might Stop Working
We are approaching the 2026 JAMB UTME registration season (set to begin January 26). Every year, thousands of parents flood CBT centres screaming at officials because their child’s NIN “isn’t working.”
- The Scenario: When you try to generate a profile code.
- The Error: You may see “Invalid NIN” or “Record Mismatch.”
- The Cause: The child is 16, but their NIN is still stuck in the “Child” database.
Because the system requires an adult profile for university candidates, so a “Child NIN” often fails the verification needed for exams and SIM linking.
What You Need to Do Now
So, how do you fix this without stress?
- Do NOT Start a New Registration: This is the biggest mistake people make. If your child already has a NIN, do not start a fresh application. That is a crime (double enrollment) and will crash their identity for years.
- Visit a Centre: You cannot do this online. You must take the child to a NIMC enrollment centre.
- Ask for an Update: Tell the officer you are there for an “Update from Child to Adult” (ER-to-CR migration).
- Bring the Documents: You will likely need the original NIN slip, a birth certificate, and potentially a parent’s NIN for verification.
Does It Cost Money?
Be prepared for a fee. While the initial enrollment was free, modifications (updates) usually attract a service charge. Current data indicates that standard modifications can cost around ₦2,000 per field, though this depends on the specific centre. However, compared to the cost of missing a JAMB year or having a bank account frozen, it is a small price to pay.
