The Federal  Government plans to introduce digital token comprising 16 alphabets and numbers to replace the current 11-digit National Identity Number effective January, 2022, it has been learnt.

As such, the Federal Government plans to make illegal and a punishable offense any company or agency found verifying the 11-digit National Identity Number.

This was disclosed in a booklet by the National Identity Management Commission and titled, ‘Facts about NIN tokenization.’
According to the booklet, companies and agencies are allowed to only store and verify virtual NIN or digital token, which is a set of 16 alpha-numeric characters issued exclusively by an ID holder with NIN.

The booklet read in part, “The virtual NIN is issued by an ID holder who has onboarded the NIMC MobileID application or generated via the USSD service. The Digitoken is issued to a specific verification entity and may be only verified by that entity and no one else.”

It was disclosed that the vNIN is non-transferable and expires after 72 hours. It was further revealed that minors could generate a virtual NIN from their parents’ profile on the NIMC application. NIN slip had a smaller form factor and is available to all who have been issued an active NIN, saying they may be purchased without having to visit the NIMC office.

“Some of the pre-requisite of tokenization, one needs a NIN issued by NIMC, and a mobile number registered in Nigeria and linked to your NIN,”