Pandemonium at NIMC’s HQ Over Struggle, Stress in NIN Registration Process

Many applicants, either seeking to obtain the National Identification Number (NIN) for the first time or modify their data, spoke to PREMIUM TIMES across four days, narrating different tales of hardship and frustration they have been subjected to at NIMC headquarters at Wuse Zone 3 in Abuja.

A multitude of applicants, many of whom travelled from different states, face hardship resulting from the slow pace of the registration process.

At the peak of the congestion at the office, the situation turned chaotic.

Tales of frustration

Forty-eight-year-old Isaiah Pam, who travelled from Plateau State to rectify a name error on his NIN slip, found himself waiting for two weeks without resolution.

“There was a mistake in the arrangement of my name. I was told in Jos to come here,” he said on Wednesday.

He added: “I have been here for two weeks now, and I am awaiting my printout.

“I am coming here daily because I am not a resident here. I am staying with a friend who is taking care of me. For the past two weeks, I have been coming here every day.”

Similarly, Timothy Musa recounted his month-long ordeal trying to register for the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) which requires him to have a NIN.

He said: “I want to register for JAMB but one of the criteria is that one must have this identity number.

“I was here over a month ago. I tried for two weeks, but the crowd especially the number of students, made me not register. I was discouraged but my mum’s advice helped me to return.”

“One day, I was told to visit another NIMC branch close to my place. When I managed to get inside, I rushed out immediately to my area but I was told to return to this place.

“Two weeks ago, I arrived here before 6 a.m. and I was able to do it. I am here for my printout,” he said.

Security officers had a tough time managing the surging number of applicants, many of whom are students under pressure to get the urgent attention of the NIMC to complete time-bound registration for various examinations.

There are also many applicants in need of the NIN slips or data modification to obtain a passport or renew it for urgent travels.

Many flock to the NIMC office for varying reasons.

Sarah Amos said she had repeatedly visited the NIMC office in Abuja for one month to obtain her NIN to register for JAMB.

“I started JAMB registration but the requirement for NIN made the process stop. It was not a good experience because I have been coming here four times every week, yet I could not do it until a few days ago. Thank God, I am going to print out today, but you can see how long the queue is,” she said.

Windfall for touts

Upon arrival at the Wuse Zone 3 office of the NIMC, this reporter was approached by a tout offering to assist with registration processes for a fee, his money-making opportunity he pitched by emphasising the difficulties in trying to go through the registration process alone.

“What do you want us to do for you? We do registration, and change of name, even if you don’t have the slip, we can use your phone number to do it,” he said.

Amina Umar had to travel to Abuja from Kebbi State, where NIMC officials told her they could not attend to her data modification request and still could not make any headway until she engaged someone she referred to as a vendor.

She had to cough out N35,000 to secure the assistance of the vendor.

“I paid N35,000 to enable me to change my name on time. I came from Kebbi State after I was told that they (officials in Kebbi State) couldn’t change my name,” she said. “The vendor gave me a newspaper, Remita, and a court affidavit to enable me to start the registration. He was able to initiate the registration on NIMC’s portal. Now, I am waiting for the final printing.”

Causes of problems

Our reporter observed at the NIMC headquarters on Wednesday that despite the apparent decrease in applicants, the enrollment process remained acutely slow and inefficient, as the process was incessantly disrupted by power outages.

Also contributing to the problem is the shortage of manpower at the NIMC headquarters which has to deal with applicants from not just Abuja but also from far-flung states.

Many applicants told our reporter that they had to travel to Abuja from their states of residence because they were told they could not attend to their problems there.

Even in Abuja, it appears applicants are being attended to at the headquarters only.

On Friday, when our reporter visited the agency’s office at Wuse Zone 5 office, a notice of closure hung there, redirecting applicants to the agency’s headquarters at Wuse Zone 3.

As Nigerians continue to grapple with the challenges of obtaining vital identity documents, the need for urgent reform and improved service delivery at NIMC offices across the country becomes increasingly evident.

Background

The NIMC, in January, suspended third-party services as part of a broader revalidation exercise aimed at streamlining the enrolment process and addressing outstanding debts owed to these agents.

The agency went on to suspend the Front-End Partners (FEPs) from participating in NIN enrolments.

The CEO of NIMC, Bisoye, Coker-Odusote, clarified that the move was not targeted at any specific group but was essential for maintaining data integrity in the country’s identity database.

As part of the revalidation process, she said NIMC would review claims made by FEPs and ensure compliance with stringent data security standards.

“I inherited huge debts owed to FEPs for over two years, some of which were questionable. The flaws in the process necessitated a thorough audit, leading to the temporary suspension of NIN enrolment activities at FEP centres,” she said.

She also reiterated plans to clear outstanding payments owed to enrolment agents within the first quarter of 2024.

With the growing need for Nigerians and residents in the country to use NIN, the stop to the use of agents by NIMC has contributed to the congestion noticed at its offices handling the registration process.

Late last year, the Central Bank of Nigeria directed a ‘Post No Debit’ restrictionon all bank accounts without a Bank Verification Number and NIN effective April 2024.

“The BVN or NIN attached to and/or associated with all accounts/wallets must be electronically revalidated by January 31, 2024,” the bank added.

Nigerians also have to present NIN to obtain or renew passports at the Nigeria Immigration Service offices.

Similarly, many examination bodies, including the Joint Admission Matriculation Board (JAMB), have also made it compulsory for candidates to present the identity number for registration and identity validation purposes.

The need for many to also modify their data such as date of birth, arrangement or misspelt names or other forms of corrections accounts for a significant percentage of the people congesting NIMC offices around the country.

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