NIMC Partners with NYSC and Youth Ministry to Drive Nationwide NIN Enrollment, Targets Rural Communities and Children
Abuja, Nigeria – In a bold move to accelerate the National Identification Number (NIN) enrollment drive, the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has joined forces with the Ministry of Youth Development and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to train and deploy corps members across Nigeria’s 774 local government areas.
The initiative, announced on Wednesday, is designed to deepen NIN registration penetration, particularly in underserved rural communities, with a special focus on enrolling children under 16. By stationing trained NYSC members in every ward, the government aims to bring enrollment services closer to citizens, eliminating barriers such as distance and lack of awareness.
Bridging the Gap in NIN Enrollment
In a statement, NIMC emphasized that the partnership aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritizes inclusive development and digital identity for all Nigerians.
“This initiative is about reaching the unreached ensuring that no one, especially children, is left behind in the country’s digital identity ecosystem,” the Commission stated. “By empowering corps members to facilitate NIN registration in their assigned wards, we are decentralizing the process and making it more accessible.”
The move comes as NIMC races to meet its ambitious target of enrolling 85% of Nigeria’s estimated 220 million population by December 2025. As of April 30, 2025, approximately 120 million Nigerians have been registered, leaving a gap of about 67 million enrollments.
A Race Against Time
Nigeria’s digital identity program, part of the World Bank’s Digital Identity for National Development (ID4D) initiative, has faced significant challenges since its inception. Despite mandatory enrollment being introduced in 2015, logistical hurdles including insufficient registration centers and low public awareness—have slowed progress.
Initially, the World Bank set a June 2024 deadline for Nigeria to register 180 million citizens, but the target was missed, prompting an extension to December 2026. NIMC’s Director-General, Engr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, remains optimistic, however, stating in May that the Commission is on track to register an additional 100 million Nigerians by year-end.
Expanding the Net: Inmates, Rural Communities, and Beyond
The NYSC partnership is not NIMC’s only effort to widen enrollment coverage. Earlier this year, the Commission licensed the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) to register inmates for NIN, ensuring their inclusion in national planning.
So far, 59,786 inmates, 74% of Nigeria’s total custodial population—have been enrolled, with plans to capture the remaining 26% in the coming months.
A Critical Step Forward
While leveraging NYSC members is a strategic move to penetrate remote areas, experts caution that success hinges on proper implementation. NIMC must ensure adequate training, equipment, and oversight to prevent bottlenecks in the registration process.
“This is a smart approach, but execution is key,” said a development analyst who spoke anonymously. “If well-coordinated, corps members can significantly boost enrollment, but NIMC must also address existing challenges like system failures and delays in NIN issuance.”
As Nigeria pushes toward a more inclusive digital identity framework, the collaboration with NYSC signals a renewed commitment to leaving no one behind. Whether the 2025 target is achievable remains to be seen, but for now, the focus is clear: bring NIN registration to every corner of the nation.
