In a recent update, the Nigerian government revealed that over 6,000 people from Niger Republic illegally obtained Nigerian National Identity Numbers (NINs).

This discovery was shared by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, during a Federal Executive Council briefing on February 4, 2025.

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has since removed the fraudulent NINs from its system to ensure the integrity of the national database.

The NIMC Director-General, Bisoye Coker-Odusote, confirmed this action, emphasizing the importance of transparency in government payments, especially for humanitarian programs.

This issue is not the first time that illegal NINs have been raised as a concern.

In October 2022, the Nigerian Defence Headquarters reported that fake NIMC officials were arrested for issuing fake NINs, particularly to people from neighboring countries like Niger Republic.

The Nigerian government is continuing to take steps to prevent the misuse of its identity management system.