The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has uncovered over 6,000 Nigeriens in its database who were wrongly registered with Nigeria’s National Identification Number (NIN). This revelation comes as President Bola Tinubu has directed an inter-ministerial committee to ensure comprehensive data for the National Social Register, which is critical for the government’s social investment programs.
Sources within the Presidency informed Saturday PUNCH that Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo briefed the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Tuesday, February 4, 2025, regarding NIMC’s efforts to clean up its database. The minister confirmed that the fraudulent registrations were being purged as part of an ongoing effort to ensure the accuracy of the data.
In October 2022, the Defence Headquarters disclosed that security forces had apprehended two individuals posing as NIMC officials. These suspects had been involved in registering non-Nigerians, particularly from neighboring Niger Republic, in a camp for displaced persons. The operation uncovered several fraudulent registration tools, including a machine for printing NIN cards. Investigations revealed these activities were concentrated in border areas, raising concerns over unauthorized access to Nigerian identity information.
The NIMC is responsible for assigning unique NINs to citizens and legal residents, linking each number to biometric and demographic data for use in verifying identities in various public and private transactions. The data clean-up is part of a broader effort to ensure that the national database includes only legitimate, verified citizens who need access to government assistance, such as cash transfers or student loans.
Presidential sources explained that President Tinubu is keen to ensure that the National Social Register accurately reflects the most vulnerable Nigerians who require social interventions. A source noted, “The President doesn’t want to distribute funds to unverified individuals. NIMC is ensuring that they refine and verify the data, and are also registering more Nigerians. The President wants this done swiftly.”
Following the briefing, the President instructed that the National Security Adviser (NSA) and the Interior Minister join an existing panel overseeing the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs. This is part of broader efforts to reform Nigeria’s social investment programs, which have faced scrutiny for inefficiency and fraud.
In January 2024, following the suspension of the former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Betta Edu, President Tinubu set up a panel, led by the Coordinating Minister of the Economy, to review the financial architecture of social investment initiatives. A subsequent special panel was also established to address issues in the sector, which now includes key figures such as the NSA, Interior Minister, Education Minister, and the Minister for Humanitarian Affairs.
Bisoye Coker-Odusote, Director-General of NIMC, explained in a recent interview that the agency’s focus is to ensure transparency and accuracy in the distribution of government aid, particularly within the humanitarian sector. She emphasized that using the NIN will help prevent fraudulent claims and ensure that aid is directed to verified, legitimate beneficiaries.
Coker-Odusote clarified that recent reports regarding issues with SIM-NIN linking were related to telecom operators, who had resolved the problems on their end. The NIMC, she stated, does not collect more than one phone number for any individual.
As of now, the Nigeria Immigration Service has declined to comment on the issue. Security experts have pointed out that the presence of undocumented foreigners holding NINs is not a new problem. Brigadier General Aliyu Momoh (retd.) argued that unless there is stronger political will, such issues will continue, citing the porous state of Nigeria’s borders.
Momoh noted, “In some northern states, non-Nigerians move freely without proper documentation. But in other countries, such as Chad or Cameroon, Nigerians cannot do that. The current leadership is making strides, but there is still much work to be done.”
