A viral post has emerged on WhatsApp claiming that Nigeria’s old National Identity card has a “seq number” which can now be used as the National Identification Number (NIN) by those who have it and are yet enrol for new NIN. The post reads:

“For those that have not done their NIN registration

“And they have the old national identity card

“Just look at the back of the card, you will see Seq number.

“That is your NIN number. Use it appropriately with the code of any network. E.g for MTN *785*seq. number# then send

“You will be successfully registered, pls kindly share.”

What NIMC said

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) on Wednesday, January 27, reacted to the claim via a Twitter post. According to NIMC, the National Identity card has been discontinued. The agency further enjoined anyone who is yet to enroll for NIN to do so. NIMC stated: “The OLD National Identity card has been DISCONTINUED. If you still hold the old ID card, you should enroll for the National Identification Number (NIN).” 

NIMC debunks claim that those who registered for BVN automatically have NIN.

NIMC has also earlier reacted to a claim that those who registered for the Bank Verification Number (BVN) as early as 2014 already have NIN and do not need to register for it again.

According to NIMC’s spokesperson, Kayode Adegoke, the claim is incorrect as the commission must capture peoples’ data first before allocating NIN to them.

Meanwhile, barely two weeks to the deadline directive for the network subscribers to link their SIM cards to their NIN, the federal government said telecommunications companies have been licensed to register people who are yet to have the number. The order was given so as to reduce the large crowds at the offices of NIMC. NIMC’s director-general, Aliyu Aziz, made this known on Tuesday, January 26, adding that some other private and public organisations had also been licensed by the commission to provide NINs in order to address the crowds at the commission’s offices.