Govt-issued digital ID may soon be compulsory for foreign nationals in Nigeria

Nigeria’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) has proposed an amendment to a legislation that would require foreigners living in the country to obtain the government issued National Identification Number (NIN). According to local reports, the idea was discussed at a recent FEC meeting in Abuja.

Special Adviser to the Nigerian President on Information and Security Bayo Onanuga, who briefed reporters on the development, said the process has been initiated to amend the relevant provision in the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Act of 2007.

At the moment, foreign nationals living in Nigeria are not allowed to obtain the biometric digital ID.

Onanuga explained that part of the reason for the novelty is to bring these expatriates into the country’s formal tax system. The NIMC Act amendment bill was proposed alongside the Economy Stabilization Bill which also aims to identify and tax foreigners who work and earn income in Nigeria.

“Once you are doing some work here and earning income, you will be registered and given a NIN so that you can be taxed. Your NIN will give you your tax identity, and you can also be taxed and come under our tax structure,” says the presidential special adviser, as quoted by Pulse.ng.

In April, President Bola Tinubu recognized digital ID as an important tool in facilitating the collection of taxes in Nigeria.

Punch reports that the two draft legislations proposed by the Federal Executive Council have been conceived  to increase the scope of people who can be registered in the national identity database to include “foreign individuals with taxable presence or taxable source of income in Nigeria.”

It also seeks to make “provisions for the mandatory use of National Identification Number for transactions which are relevant for tax administration, and for related matters.”

This proposal to amend the NIMC Act to allow for NIN issuance to foreigners follows another amendment process of the same legislation which was initiated by two lawmakers in the middle of this year.

In a statement in July, the NIMC hailed the amendment process saying it will strengthen the regulatory function of the ID management authority and enhance the efficiency and inclusivity of the identity management system in the country.

If the plan to issue NINs to foreigners goes through, Nigeria will add to the list of African counties already doing so. Among them are Kenya, Morocco, Uganda, Sierra Leone, South Africa and Zimbabwe.

Article Topics

Africa  |  digital ID  |  legislation  |  National Identity Management Commission (NIMC)  |  National Identity Number (NIN)  |  Nigeria