This platform streamlines the process of modifying personal information such as Name, Phone Number, Date of Birth, and Address, reducing the need for physical visits to NIMC offices.

The service comes with the following fees:

Date of Birth Update: ₦16,340
Name Change: ₦1,522
Phone Number Change: ₦1,522
Address Update: ₦1,522

Prerequisites

To use the online service, the phone number linked to your NIN must be registered and active.

How to Modify Your NIN via Shortcode

Dial *346# on your mobile phone.
Select “NIN Modification” from the menu.
Enter your 11-digit NIN for verification.
Choose the detail you want to update (e.g., Name, Date of Birth, Address).
Enter the new details and confirm their accuracy.
You will receive a confirmation code via SMS; enter it to finalize the process.
A confirmation message will indicate that your NIN has been successfully updated.
Note: If you need to change the phone number linked to your NIN due to loss or theft, a police report is required.

How to Update Details via NIMC Portal

Steps to Modify Date of Birth:

Log into the Portal: Start by verifying your NIN and logging in.
Navigate to the Dashboard: Select the date of birth modification option.
Make Payment: Complete the payment through Paystack.
Validate NPC Certificate: Enter your National Population Commission (NPC) certificate number to auto-fill the date of birth (non-editable). If you don’t have a birth certificate, you can perform an online birth attestation with the NPC.
Upload Documents: Submit your NPC certificate along with supporting documents.
Review and Submit: Check the attestation box and submit the request.
Receive Modification Slip: A transaction slip will be generated instantly.
Receive Notification: Upon approval, your updated NIN slip will be sent to your email or can be printed from your dashboard.

Required Documents for Modifications

Date of Birth Modification:
Digitized NPC Attestation Certificate (for those born before 1992).
Digitized NPC Birth Certificate (for those born after 1992).

Name Change:
Court affidavit.
Newspaper extract.
Marriage certificate (for marital status changes).
Another government-issued ID.

Address Update

Utility bill.
Tenancy agreement.
Attestation letter from a community leader.

This new NIMC portal is designed to enhance efficiency, allowing Nigerians to keep their NIN records up to date with ease, thereby avoiding issues related to outdated or incorrect information.

These updates are part of the“Business Rules issued pursuant to the Registration of Communications Subscribers Regulation,” and seek to address existing gaps in the system while incorporating new self-service options.

One significant change is the requirement to clear all records of recycled SIMs from any previously linked NINs. This measure allows new users to register and link their own NINs without issues.

The updated guidelines also focus on improving the harmonization of NIN-SIM registration databases and refining the procedures for activating and registering new SIM cards.

In terms of authorization, businesses now need to appoint Secondary or Operations Telecom Masters. This requires detailed authorization letters signed by C-Level staff, which must include the names, official designations, and NINs of the appointed Telecom Masters.

For Machine-to-Machine (M2M) SIM registrations, only the NIN of the Primary Telecom Master is necessary.

The authorization process has been made more rigorous, requiring the submission of a CSV file detailing all associated SIMs, the NINs of secondary users, and additional documents like the Certificate of Incorporation and Tax Clearance Certificate.

For foreign nationals, the new rules stipulate that those residing in Nigeria for over two years must obtain a NIN to register SIMs and for Mobile Number Portability (MNP).

Foreigners who have been in Nigeria for less than two years are exempt from the NIN requirement but must provide their International passport biodata and visa pages for SIM registration.

Diplomatic missions are subject to special provisions, including the submission of diplomatic passports and a Letter of Request from the Head of Mission.

The new rules also introduce a self-service option for resolving biometric mismatches. However, this service can only be conducted by Communications Service Providers, not by agents or third parties.

The self-service process must follow strict standards, including proper lighting, a plain background for image capture, and must be managed by licensed agents at designated SIM card registration centers.

Overall, these updates aim to streamline the SIM registration and NIN linkage process, ensuring greater efficiency and compliance within Nigeria’s telecommunications sector.

This clarification comes in response to backlash from Nigerians following a social media post by a user named ‘Akwa Ibom First Son’, who shared a screenshot allegedly from the NIMC website displaying a $20.78 fee for changes to birth dates, addresses, names, and phone numbers.

The claims sparked criticism from other Nigerian social media users.

However, NIMC explained that using VPNs can cause the website to detect a different location and currency.

To fix the issue, NIMC advised users to turn off their VPNs and try again. If the problem continues, users are encouraged to contact the support team for further assistance.

The NIMC Self-Service Modifications portal allows citizens and legal residents aged 16 and older to request changes to their name, phone number, date of birth, and address.

The approved fee for a change of date of birth request is N15,000, as stated on the NIMC website.

During a recent meeting with Joint Tax Board (JTB) Secretary Olusegun Adesokan, Tunji-Ojo highlighted the need for a unified identification system to prevent tax evasion, emphasizing that integrating NIN with TIN would simplify tracking taxpayers.

He advocated for a close partnership between the Joint Tax Board and the Nigeria Immigration Service to ensure seamless data sharing.

According to a statement from the Ministry of Information and National Orientation, the minister proposed that the NIN serve as a comprehensive security identifier, encompassing tax and other vital information.

The JTB Secretary’s visit aimed at fostering collaboration with the Ministry, enhancing capacity with the Nigerian Immigration Service, and addressing issues related to expatriate data and tax.

Previously, in September 2023, Tunji-Ojo committed to investing in the harmonization of national data through the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), aiming to end multiple ID registrations and ensure a unified data repository.

He emphasized that success in this initiative would significantly enhance the integrity of Nigeria’s identification systems.

Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja, the Director General of the Commission, Abisoye Coker-Odusote, revealed this significant milestone.

She highlighted the remarkable progress made since December 2023, when the NIN enrolment figure stood at 85.6 million.

Coker-Odusote emphasized that the current figure represents an impressive increase of 3.2 million or 3.2 percent from the 104 million recorded in December 2023.

She attributed this achievement to the strategic plan implemented by the NIMC management, which is aligned with its 5-Point Agenda aimed at rapidly capturing all Nigerians into the database.

“As of this morning, the total enrolment on our database is 107.34m which is more than half of the projected Nigerian population,” Coker-Odusote stated.

She further expressed optimism about reaching the 200 million mark upon the completion of system upgrades and the equipping of all NIMC centers.

The NIN, a unique identifier assigned to each citizen, has become increasingly vital in various government initiatives aimed at enhancing security, governance, and service delivery.

She expressed these concerns at an annual Consultation Workshop with Stakeholders organized by ID4D in partnership with other collaborators in Abuja.

During the workshop, Odusote, represented by her Technical Assistant Ayobami Zainab Abiola, acknowledged that criminal elements had manipulated directives requiring the use of NIN to register SIM cards.

She emphasized that these manipulations contributed to recent incidents of violence and kidnappings.

‘NIMC is assisting government to cub rampant killings and kidnappings. NIMC is working with security agencies to ensure we use the NIN in a way that we secure the country. There has been previous engagements and directives requiring people to use the NIN to register their Sim cards, however, people have in some cases tried to circumvent that and this is to the detriment of using these information for security purposes,’’ she stated

The DG affirmed that NIMC is collaborating closely with security agencies, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), and Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) to address vulnerabilities exploited by criminals.

She assured stakeholders that efforts are underway to improve security measures and plug existing loopholes.

Regarding the registration of foreigners, Odusote pointed out that the porosity of borders and insufficient checks contribute to the exploitation of identity processes.

She emphasized ongoing efforts to address these challenges, with comprehensive solutions expected to be discussed at an upcoming retreat in Nasarawa.

In her keynote address, Odusote assured Nigerians that the government is committed to providing a verifiable ID for every citizen, regardless of age, location, residency, or physical status. She highlighted the importance of a robust identity system in building a more secure, sustainable, and prosperous Nigeria.

NIMC’s Acting Director-General, Mrs. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, delivered this message during an unscheduled visit to the Commission’s FCT office on Tuesday.

She emphasized that the Commission will not tolerate any continued acts of extortion by its employees or harassment of Nigerian citizens, stressing that all NIN enrollment services are meant to be provided free of charge.

Mrs. Coker-Odusote clarified that certain specific services, such as modifications in signatures (for N500) and correcting enrollment errors or Date of Birth (for N15,000), would require payment through bank remittances.

However, she stressed that all other enrollment-related services should be free.

Regarding the integrity of data, she highlighted its importance as a critical infrastructure and a national asset.

Any modifications to information would only be allowed if accompanied by sworn affidavits.

Furthermore, Mrs. Coker-Odusote encouraged Nigerians to report any incidents of extortion or harassment that they may encounter during the enrollment process.

NIMC is committed to ensuring the integrity and accessibility of the National Identification Number without undue financial burden on enrollees.

She said, “So regarding extortion, NIN is free in Nigeria, there is no reason why you should pay for enrollment, It is free. If you call me or give anybody money or you go to any of the NIMC offices, you are adding to the problem.

“You know if we all keep saying it, we have to be better, Let’s also practice it as charity begins at home, if there’s any issue, go to the website.

“There are channels there for you to escalate the matter. I am actually getting that feedback directly myself and addressing it.”

The call was made in a statement, signed by the Special Adviser to the President, Ease of Doing Business/PEBEC Secretary, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, on Tuesday, in Abuja.

Oduwole, stating that the NIMC new move would begin by April 1, 2023, urged the commission to review the new regulation through the lens of making it faster and cheaper to access government services.

While commending the moves by the Nigerian Immigration Service, NIS, to significantly improve the quality of service, accuracy, and speed of passport services through the verification of NIN, she said the additional cost for each applicant has not been well received by stakeholders.

She also said that the provisions of the Business Facilitation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2022 (BFA), signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari, codified Executive Order 001 on transparency and efficiency of public service delivery, adding that the purposes of the “One Government” directive, where an applicant requires service from a ministry, department or agency (MDA), the MDA is mandated to conduct the necessary verification or certification from relevant MDAs, in respect of the applicant.

“On May 18, 2017, Executive Order 001 (EO1) on Transparency and Efficiency in the Business Environment was issued as the Administration’s first Executive Order to strengthen the implementation of business climate reforms and to deepen collaboration among ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) by instituting a systemic change management process for reforms.

“EO1 mandates MDAs to submit monthly reports to the PEBEC Secretariat, the offices of the Head of Service (HOS) of the Federation, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), and SERVICOM. You will recall that on March 9, the PEBEC released its 2022 Executive Order 001 (EO1) Compliance Report, in line with its promise to continuously track and keep the business community updated on compliance with the Executive Order

“In the last six years, the PEBEC has consistently published an EO1 Compliance Report, which captures a periodic empirical analysis of the monthly reports received from MDAs. According to the latest EO1 Compliance Report which covers January to December 2022, the top five performing MDAs are:

“The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) which emerged first at 81.11%; Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) (2nd, 78.68%); Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Council (FCCPC) (3rd, 68.37%); Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM) (4th, 64.59%); and Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) (5th, 63.68%).

“In releasing the report, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, Special Adviser to the President on Ease of Doing Business and Secretary to the PEBEC stated that “the codification of EO1 directives in the Business Facilitation Act 2022 is a major development in the efforts to entrench EO1 in the psyche of the Civil Service. It is expected that the legal provisions will serve as a stimulus for a more transparent and efficient public service delivery in Nigeria.

“The PEBEC, chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo SAN, GCON, was established in July 2016 by President Muhammadu Buhari to remove critical bottlenecks and bureaucratic constraints to doing business in Nigeria.”

The Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola issued the advice in a post on his verified Twitter handle.

Aregbesola also disclosed that many passport applicants are having serious challenges on how to arrange their names.

He wrote, “It is important also that your details with NIN sync with the data on your application. Any discrepancy will stall your application until it is corrected. The order of the appearance of the applicant’s name especially has been an albatross for many.”

He added that his ministry had introduced a tracking mechanism to help applicants monitor the progress of their application.

This follows claims in several quarters that the telecom operators are set to increase their rates.

But, the Chairman, Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) Gbenga Adebayo, who gave the assurance on Wednesday while speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, telcos are working with other stakeholders to see the best possible way to continue business without reviewing the tariffs.

According to him, “There are no such plans; we guarantee that there will be continuous service availability to all citizens in all places at all times.”

“We don’t have plans for tariff reviews. We are consulting with our regulators and others in government to see what kind of sustainability we can have for the industry we have no immediate plans to review public tariffs.”

He also spoke about the baring of unlinked customers’ lines over their failure to link their SIM cards with the National Identity Number (NIN).

The ALTON boss said since the new directive, there has been a surge in the number of persons trying to link their SIM cards with NIN.

“It has been a lot of pressure at various experience centres, there has also been a lot of pressure on the systems,” he explained.

“It has been a lot of concerns expressed by the members of the public to our various contact centres; so it appears the heat is coming to all of us at this time.

“Unfortunately, we have been on this for fourteen months, many people didn’t respond to the call to link their SIM to their NIN and so we are where we are. Certainly, the last 24 hours, has been enormous pressure on at the various experience centre.”