Nigeria's NIMC hit by bribery claims as govt pushes universal ID enrollment

Officials of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) in Edo and Rivers states have been accused of demanding bribes of N6,000 to N10,000 from citizens seeking National Identity Numbers (NIN). Victims reported being turned away unless they paid, contradicting the policy that the NIN should be free. One enrollee from Benin City described paying N6,000 at the Ramat Park centre, while another in Port Harcourt said they paid a total of N10,000 for registration.

President Bola Tinubu has ordered NIMC to enrol every Nigerian in the national identity database by the end of the year. DG Abisoye Coker‑Odusote said the drive, supported by the World Bank’s Identification for Development project, will use biometric verification to prevent duplicate identities and to underpin governance, service delivery and security. The recent NIMC Act 2026 reinforces a “One Person, One Identity” framework, making the NIN essential for accessing government and private sector services.