Nigeria

FG issues crucial update, speaks on more mandatory uses of NIN

Friday, February 12, 2021 at 5:22 PM by Onyirioha Nnamdi

- The federal government has spoken more about the importance of NIN

- Isa Pantami, the minister of communications and digital economy, said the number is mandatory for payment of taxes

- Pantami also noted that by law it is an offence for Nigerians to enjoy social amenities without NIN

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According to Isa Pantami, the minister of communications and digital economy, the National Identification Number (NIN) is mandatory for the payment of taxes and voter registration during elections.

Pantami who spoke in Abuja on Thursday, February 11, on the ongoing nationwide exercise added that the NIN is also needed for the opening of bank accounts in the country, Punch reports.

The minister explained further that the number is essential for national planning, budget, security, and social development.

FG issues crucial update, speaks on more mandatory uses of NIN — The federal government said the NIN is mandatory for the opening of bank accounts (Photo: @DrIsaPantami)
Source: Facebook

Moreover, he noted that as contained in section 27 of the NIMC Act, benefitting from the federal government's services as a citizen without a NIN is an offence punishable by section 29 of the same act.

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Pantami stated:

"So we’ve come up with so many policies trying to ensure that our citizens obtain the number. It is important beyond SIM registration. It is important for whatever you do because it is the primary identity of our citizens.

“There’s no identity that will define you as a citizen more than that number. It is mandatory. And it is mandatory for transactions such as opening bank accounts, paying tax, voter registration and many more.”

Meanwhile, telephone subscribers had been advised to protect their Subscriber Identification Modules (SIM) and their NIN jealously.

The plea was given on Tuesday, January 19, by the federal government, saying it would use the NIN to trace people for either good or bad reasons.

Legit.ng gathered the government also announced a total of 47.8 million NINs had been collected by the mobile operators, adding that it hopes more NINs would be collected before the February 9 deadline.