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No Nigerian Passport without NIMC in 2018 -Presidency
Federal government has said that anybody that does not have identification number from the National Identification Management Commission (NIMC), from 1st January 2018 will not be issued with the Nigerian passport.
Government also said that anybody that intends to apply for the renewal of his or her passport or wants a fresh passport but is residing outside the country will first have identification number from NIMC or will be denied issuance or renewal of the passport.
Mohammed Babandede, Comptroller-General of Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), who disclosed this yesterday after a meeting of database harmonization committee in Abuja explained that the reason behind the new policy was for ease of business in the country.
Babandede said that before now the biggest challenge in the country in getting the adequate data of those doing business in the country was that different parastatals and organizations were deploying their own technology without collaboration or synergy with sister organizations.
According to him, “The bulk lies on all our table. It is the harmonization of data and requires all of us to act but the biggest problem we are facing is that everybody is deploying his own technology.
“There is a practical commitment to this, we have agreed that from 2018 1st January, anybody who is going to apply for Nigerian Passport, whether renewal or fresh must first have a NIMC number, national identity number. Why we are doing this is we want to ease business for Nigeria. There is no need for you to go and have your bio metric captured by NIMC and then you come and capture again with the Nigeria Immigrations.
“Once you give us your NIMC number we will collect the bio metric from NIMC and produce your passport. That is the intention to do in all other agencies. I have also given directive that any foreigner, non Nigerian resident in Nigeria will not get his permit renewed.
“He or she will not get his renewed until he has a NIMC number. To achieve this, NIMC and passport numbers will be harmonized and we are committed to allow NIMC in Immigration.
“All NIMC staff can work in our passport office so when you come to get the passport you can also get the National identity card. The NIMC has also allowed immigration staff to work in their offices so anybody who is coming to claim Nigerian citizenship they will help to identify that citizen. That is the cooperation that we have had so far.”
On whether those intending to have passport will have tax certificate before collecting passport, NIS CG said: “We are not talking of tax, we are talking of e-government. We want to have one e-government. What government is saying is that when you want to collect any facilitate from any government agency, you don’t need to look for the document from any other government agency.
“We should be able to access it, we should be able to know whether you have paid your tax or not. If you are coming through the airport and you want to leave Nigeria, we should be able to know that this guy has not paid his tax and you should be able to pay your tax before you depart. We are looking at one e-government and it is possible.”
Also speaking, Lanre Osibona, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Information Communication Technology, ICT, said that the identification number from NIMC would help in tackling security challenges, bring in innovation in doing business, ensures social and financial inclusion.
He said, “We just had a good meeting interns of national identity which we know is a great asset for the country and so much work has been ongoing with respect to harmonizing all the silo data bases. We are making progress finally.
“The benefit of national identity is immense, security, innovation, social inclusion, financial inclusion. These concern our citizens and it helps in forecasting budget, better planning. So we are determined to ensure that we deliver full concise database for all Nigerians.”
On the timeline for the take off of the policy, he said, “It is good to also share with you that when we came in about two years ago there were 5 million records of NIlMC but today we have moved it close to 20million and we intend to have up to 30million by the end of this year.
“We are working with the World Bank and Bill and Melinda Gates foundation to have a proper approach of how we will be able to capture over 180million over a three year period. Something else that is very worthwhile to mention is part of the effort of government with regard to digital economy.
“What we have also captured in here is the Public Key Infrastructure which will sit within NITDA. An intention of this is to allow for digital signing of key documents being able to authenticate our document digitally.
“Again this helps meet the effort of the PEBEC on the ease of doing business. So we will be able to have CAC issue certificates digitally, NHIS, Tax Clearance, etc. so the resolution as part of the meeting here is that this will be driven by NITDA.”
George Akume, secretary to the Government of the Federation, has raised alarm over the activities of a criminal syndicate allegedly cloning his voice and using it to defraud unsuspecting Nigerians with promises of Federal Government appointments.
George Akume, SGF
In a statement issued by Yomi Odunuga, his special adviser on Media and Publicity, on Thursday, Akume said the fraudsters have impersonated him in audio calls and text messages, targeting high-profile individuals and soliciting payments ranging from ₦5 million to ₦15 million in exchange for phantom political positions.
“From information available to the office, the fraudsters cloned the voice of the SGF, using it to solicit money in return for federal appointments,” the statement read.
The SGF further revealed that the scammers not only cloned his voice but also spoofed the phone numbers of other high-profile individuals to give credibility to their fraudulent scheme.
“These scammers attach bank account details to messages sent to victims and request them to send their CVs to cloned emails,” Odunuga added.
The statement noted that the fraudsters have been operating through both traditional bank accounts and fintech mobile wallets, complicating efforts to trace the financial trails.
Distancing himself from the illicit scheme, Akume stressed that appointments to Federal Government boards and parastatals are transparent and not for sale under any guise.
The statement noted, “Senator Akume emphasized that the appointment processes for Nigerians into boards and parastatals are transparent and verifiable, urging individuals not to pay any money in expectation of securing a position.”
The Office of the SGF confirmed that it has notified relevant security agencies, urging members of the public to report suspicious calls or messages to law enforcement.
“The Office of the SGF strongly advises Nigerians to report the activities of these fraudulent people to the authorities while taking all precautionary steps necessary to avoid being victims of th
Ola Olukoyede, executive chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has denied claims that he compelled Bayo Ojulari, group chief executive officer, Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), to step down from his role.
Bayo Ojulari,
The allegations stemmed from an August 2, 2025, online publication which alleged that Olukoyede and Adeola Ajayi, director general, Department of State Services (DSS), pressured Ojulari into signing a resignation letter during a closed-door meeting in Abuja.
The report also suggested that Ojulari was interrogated over his purported links to Olatimbo Ayinde, British-Nigerian oil mogul, who is reportedly close to key figures in the present administration.
In a follow-up story, the news outlet further claimed Ojulari was later invited to the Presidential Villa, where First Lady Senator Remi Tinubu reportedly opposed his resignation.
Responding to the allegations, Dele Oyewale, spokesman, EFCC< issued a statement on Wednesday on behalf of the Commission, noting that Olukoyede, through his legal counsel Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika (SAN), described the publications as defamatory and injurious to his integrity.
“The publications and the imputations conveyed by them are so damning and cannot be ignored or treated with levity,” the statement quoted.
Olukoyede denied any suggestion that he was acting at the behest of Ayinde or that his actions were influenced by external political figures.
A letter addressed to the editor of the publication, signed by Olumide-Fusika, reiterated the gravity of the claims and insisted on corrective measures.
“He, therefore, demanded that the medium acknowledge your wrongdoing, expressly admit that what you published and imputed against my client are false, apologise for it unreservedly and retract and pull down the stories from your newspaper website and social media handles,” the statement added.
Olukoyede said the story portrayed him as “someone that has betrayed and subverted public trust by submitting the authority of his public office and trust as Chairman of the EFCC to the dictates and directives of one Olatimbo Ayinde.”
Labelling the report as entirely fabricated, Olukoyede demanded an official apology and complete removal of the story from the outlet’s digital platforms within 48 hours.
PalmPay reinforced its commitment to data protection and youth empowerment with a ground-breaking partnership with the Federal Ministry of Youth Development to launch the Youth Data Protection Awareness and Training (YDPAT) Program, which is targeted at equipping over 1,000,000 Nigerian youths digitally over 3 years.
The training program, commissioned last week at the Shehu Musa Yar’ Adua Centre in Abuja, will focus on providing youths with the right knowledge and skills required to navigate the digital landscape safely. With over 70% of the Nigerian population consisting of youths, this is an important move to foster trust, security and youth-focused innovation.
Speaking at the launch, the Honourable Minister of Youth Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande, commended PalmPay’s partnership in the actualisation of the program and described YDPAT as a bold step toward building a digitally literate and security-conscious generation.
In his words, “This is about building a privacy-first generation, one that is inclusive, future-facing, and globally competitive.” He also emphasised the low awareness of the Nigerian Data Protection Act (NDPA), 2023 and the critical shortage of certified Data Protection Officers (DPOs), despite over 500,000 data controllers operating in the country.
This position was equally supported by PalmPay’s Managing Director, Mr Chika Nwosu, who stated how data protection is as important as innovation in tech. He noted that PalmPay integrates privacy into every stage of its product development, ensuring that user information is safe.
Beyond ensuring data protection, PalmPay is committed to empowering young Nigerians with real opportunities for growth, with mentorship and internship placements for top-performing participants. It has led several youth-oriented initiatives, including the Purple Woman campaign, and Passing the Baton CSR for thousands of youths and women in urban and rural communities.
With a drive to achieve nationwide digital literacy, PalmPay is championing campaigns in Northern Nigeria, with more activations planned across various states.
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