It is required for every Nigerian citizen to have a National Identity Number (NIN). If you are yet to have your own as a Nigerian, then you should quickly apply for one.
This article will guide you on how to apply for National Identity Number (NIN) and also show you all you need to know about NIN.
Before we proceed, let me quickly tell you what the National Identification Number (NIN) is and why it is important to have it.
What is NIN?
NIN stands for National Identification Number. The NIN consist of 11 randomly assigned numbers to an enrolled individual.
An assigned NIN cannot be reassigned to another individual. Hence, it is unique, as it can only be used by the person to whom it was assigned.
The importance of NIN is to bind all records of an individual in a database, making it easy to verify an individual’s identity. Hence, every citizen in Nigeria is eligible to enrol for it.
How to Enrol for NIN?
Enrolment for NIN entails capturing an individual’s fingerprints and head-to-shoulder pictures, collecting the individual’s demographic data, and taking the unique digital signature.
This information is then used to cross-check if the individual data is already registered on the database.
If you want to apply for your NIN, it is essential that you do it through the NIMC pre Enrolment Portal and carefully follow the process defined for applying for National Identification Number.
Be informed that if you require assistance with the Enrolment Form, you can visit the Enrolment Centre close to you, where a Support Officer will assist you in filling the form carefully.
Required Documents
You will require your BVN and any of the following original and valid documents.
- Old National ID Card
- Driver’s License
- Voter’s card (Temporary or Permanent)
- Nigerian International passport
- Certificate of Origin
- Attestation letter from a prominent ruler in your community
- Birth certificate
- Declaration of age
- Attestation letter from religious/traditional leader
- NHIS ID card
- Government staff ID card
- Registered/recognized private organization staff ID card
- School ID Card (private/public)
- Tax Clearance certificate
- Valid immigration documents
Step 1.
- Visit https://penrol.nimc.gov.ng/ and fill out the pre-enrolment form.
- Ensure you complete all mandatory fields.
- Download and print the pre-enrolment slip
Step 2.
- Visit the closest NIMC registration centre with one of the required documents as listed below.
- At the enrolment centre, an Enrollment officer will verify and confirm all your application details.
- If your application is okay, the enrolment officer will then capture your biometric (fingerprint and facial image) and then issue you a Transaction ID slip.
- Ensure you keep the Transaction ID slip safe, as it is required to collect the NIN slip.
Please Note the Following:
1. For those who cannot read or write, they should be accompanied by someone who can read and write so that the person can fill out the form for him or her.
2. Children should be accompanied by their parents/guardians, who will fill the form for them; also, children are only required to come with their original birth certificate and the NIN slip of / her parent/guardian.
Step 3:
- After the above process, applicants must go back to the NIMC registration centres where their biodata was captured and go and collect their NIN slip.
- Their NIN slip will be available and issued to them from the 3rd day after their biometric details are captured.
- However, note that the insurance of the NIN may take longer than three days due to some issues
Also See: How to Apply for National Directorate of Employment Recruitment
The importance of NIN to an individual
- is used to access the records you have in the National Identity Database.
- Your matching data linked to your NIN can then be used to authenticate that you are really who you say you are.
The importance of NIN to the Nigerian society
- assists in providing credible data about people who are alive or dead in every area of the country, keeping a record of cash transactions and migration of people within and out of Nigeria.
- Assist in verifying which people are in real need of specific Government services, e.g. age and pension validation for pensioners.
When it comes to access to essential facilities (like travel documents issuance, payment systems, property transactions, financial services, retirement benefits, healthcare insurance, tax payments, voter registration, consumer credits, and all Public infrastructure), your NIN becomes necessary for:
- reducing the time needed to verify your identity with the necessary documents so that you can use the services you need
- minimizing errors in the allotment of solutions to the right people
- preventing fraud (419), which occurs when a fraudster impersonates a victim.
- Verify the authentic identity of anyone else with whom you conduct business or financial activities, or even someone you want to hire, like a housekeeper.
- Ensuring your identity is accurate when receiving medical care, for as, by checking the blood types of hospital blood donors.
- Validation of voter enrollment during elections.
That is all for How to Apply for National Identity Number (NIN). I hope this article on How to Apply for National Identity Number (NIN) helps?