National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has revealed that there are presently 2 million processed cards uncollected by Nigerian across the country.
The Director Card Management Services Department of NIMC, Peter Iwegbu, at the just concluded two-day workshop with Publishers of Online Newspapers in Abuja, said some Nigerians did not request for their cards.
He explained that they produced them from their database, adding that some of them have also relocated from where they were registered and captured.
He said the new cards are now based on request.
He said they are putting finishing touches to roll out special cards for senior citizens above 60 years in the country.
The card, which is likely to be flagged off in the first quarter of 2025 will entitle senior citizens to have access to unique services and special privileges.
Speaking on the General Multipurpose Card at the workshop themed ‘Building Formidable Bridges With The Digital Media Ecosystem’, he said “Special cards are to be issued to senior citizens to access unique services and privileges.
We are working on that. We are working with the Senior Citizens Centre.”
He also disclosed that another card that will be rolled out in the first quarter of 2025 is the ones to the low and vulnerable in the society, through which palliatives can be passed to them.
NIMC, he said, is working with about 20 agencies and other stakeholders in that direction.
Speaking further on the cards for senior citizens, the Assistant Director, Operations Dept of NIMC, Akwitti O. Akwitti, disclosed that the database showed that there is 5.8 million Nigerians that presently fall into the category of senior citizens in Nigeria.
He broke the figure down to 2.3 million female and 3.5 million male.
But he said the total figure is not stagnant as it keeps increasing by the day.
Highlighting the key milestones in NIMC under Engr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote in the last one year, Olusola Ogunrawaye, said a lot of the NIMC system and services which had been used over ten years ago have been made functional by the DG.
NIMC in the last one year, he noted, also had injection of new systems that were distributed nationwide.
These, he said, have enabled the Commission to render good services to Nigerians.
