US-based Nigerians to pay N15, 000 for NIN

Nigerians based in the United States are to pay between $40 -$50 each to be enrolled for the National Identity Number (NIN), according to an official.

Special Assistant to the Director-General of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Ms. Uche Chigbo, stated this in New York during a courtesy visit to the Nigerian consulate shortly before the exercise was launched in the city.

She said that registrants from zero to 15 years- old would pay $40 equivalent to N12, 240, while those from 16 years and above will pay $50 each equivalent to N15, 300.

Chigbo explained that the commission came up with the fee after looking at the entire process and what it involves, adding that “NIMC does not have the legal backing and the resources to go to another country to enrol people and capture biometrics, and other data.

“It is in this light that we decided to license private sector organisations that have the legal backing to engage in such service provision for the country.

“And they are a going concern; they made investment in terms of equipment because we didn’t give them the equipment they are using; they have to buy all of that.

“They are also renting offices, employing people and establishing connection between whichever country they are operating in and Nigeria so that they can seamlessly send the records real time online.

“All of these are investments they are making and as a going concern, a token should be paid for this service that they are going to be rendering.’’

Diaspora NIN registration was also launched in Houston, Texas on Thursday, after it took off in Atlanta and Washington on Tuesday and Wednesday.