JAMB and National ID Card (NIN): 17+ Answers to Your Questions

Sample of National ID Card

It's time for another UTME registration. This time, JAMB insists that all intending applicants must register with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) before they can apply for JAMB UTME and DE.

The intention is to capture the national data of individual admission seeker before proceeding to JAMB CBT centres in Nigeria for UTME/DE registration.

As a result of this development, prospective candidates will wwant answers to their heart-burning questions. Below is a collection of such questions and official answers to them.

1. What is NIN?

The National Identification Number (NIN) consists of 11 non- intelligible numbers randomly chosen and assigned to an individual at the completion of enrolment into the National Identity Database (NIDB).

2. Must all admission seekers register for NIN?

Yes, all candidates seeking admission into any university, polytechnic, college of education, or innovative enterprise institution in Nigeria must register for National Identification and obtain a number called NIN before they can register for UTME. 

This was suspended for the 2020 UTME/DE registration. However, for the 2021/2022 UTME/DE application, the board had announced it's compulsory for all prospective applicants.

3. Must I register for NIN before UTME registration or it can be done after?

It's before as the number will be asked from you by an accredited CBT centre during your JAMB UTME registration.

 4. Do I have to Collect my National ID Card before I can register for UTME/DE?

No.

You only need to collect a slip containing your NIN. It's only this number you will be asked for when you go for registration of JAMB at a CBT centre.

You can wait, till later, when ready, before you collect the ID card. But NIN will be given to you within a few days.

5. I've registered for the National ID card before, do I have to re-register because of JAMB UTME/DE?

No.

Registration is only allowed once. And for JAMB purposes or any other purpose, you don't need to reapply for National ID. Once registered, you can use that for any purpose forever.

6. Must Direct Entry (DE) applicants register for NIN too?

Yes, it is also applicable to them as well.

DE applicants are holders of BSC, HND, ND, NCE, IJMB, JUPEB, NABTEB or Cambridge A'level who wish to further their studies at a university of choice into 200 level or 300 level courses.

7. How Much is NIN registration?

It's free.

Obviously, we've got a complaint from certain applicants that some NIN centres are asking for a fee for lamination or fuel. Yet, this is unconfirmed.

8. Where are the nearest NIN registration centres around me?

Visit this link to check all accredited registration centres for NIN across the country.

Register Online

This is the “do it yourself whenever and wherever you are” process of enrolment. For this option of the enrolment process, the applicant visits the official website of NIMC (www.nimc.gov.ng) and pre-enrolls online using the Pre-enrolment Portal https://penrol.nimc.gov.ng/, filling in his/her data in block letters, then prints out a summary sheet that has a 2D Barcode. Then, take this slip to the registration centre nearest to you.

9. Must I use the registration centre in my town or state?

No.

You can, of course, use any registration centre anywhere in Nigeria. Locate the one nearest to you so you easily go back for subsequent activities.

10. Can I use my friend or relative NIN for my JAMB registration?

No. Once a NIN is assigned to an individual, it can never be reassigned, given, or used by another person – that makes it unique in nature.

The NIN is used to tie all records about an individual in the database and is also used to establish or verify his/her identity.

11. Do I have to share my NIN with others?

The NIN should be closely guarded by individuals and not revealed to all and sundry except to relevant authorities when requested (for instance, it shouldn’t be disclosed online over social media and should not be printed along with contact details on business cards or other office stationery).

12. Will I be Issued NIN (National ID Card) if I am less than 16 years?

Even though you can register for National ID if you're age 15 or less, yet, Minors are not issued with the National Identity cards until they attain the age of 16.

The Parent/Guardian’s NIN is required if the child is below 16 years of age. See more here.

13. What will be required of me to register for the National Identification Card (NIN)?

Walk into the nearest NIMC Enrolment Centre with your BVN if you have one and any of the following required Original and Valid supporting documents:

1. Old National ID Card
2. Driver’s License
3. Voter’s card (Temporary or Permanent)
4. Nigerian International passport
5. Certificate of Origin
6. Attestation letter from a prominent ruler in your community
7. Birth certificate
8. Declaration of age
9. Attestation letter from religious/traditional leader
10. NHIS ID card
11. Government staff ID card
12. Registered/recognized private organization staff ID card
13. School ID Card (private/public)
14. Tax Clearance certificate
15. Valid immigration documents

14. Will I be given my NIN immediately after registering at the centre?

After completing the enrolment, a Transaction ID Slip will be issued to the applicant as evidence of the transaction. However, the Transaction slip does not confer the right to the National Identification Number. The applicant will be requested to come back for the NIN within 1-5 working days, as it is subjected to availability of network, authentication and verification.

A National Identification Number (NIN) Slip is issued to the applicants after processing. The National e-ID Card will be issued to the applicant within 12months after Issuance of NIN barring any unforeseen circumstances.

Since you only need the NIN for your JAMB registration, you can get that through a certain shortcode, a few hours after the National ID card registration. To do that, dial *346# on the line used for the National ID registration.

15. Can I register for my National ID card or get NIN at a CBT center?

Yes. Though CBT centres are meant to provide other services including registration of candidates for UTME. Hence, you're to get your NIN at a NIMC before going to a CBT to use it for your registration for UTME or DE. However, JAMB has instructed all CBT centres to prepare stands for NIMC officials to register candidates who are yet to have NIN.

16. Is it possible to register for National Identity Card twice or more than once?

NO. Enrolment for the NIN is Once in a Lifetime.

Once you enroll and your National Identification Number (NIN) is presented to you, the Automated Biometric Information System (ABIS) will store all your information supplied and any attempt to enroll again by the same person will be detected and this a punishable offence.

Therefore, enroll once and be identified for life. Your National Identification Number does not expire.

17. With National Assembly asking JAMB to suspend asking candidates to register for the National ID card, has JAMB complied?

Yes.

The body has agreed to stop using NIN for the registration of UTME and DE this year.

Although the body has answered a similar question with affirmative YES that candidates will still be required, by now, candidates are allowed to register for JAMB UTME and DE without NIN.

18. How Do I Correct Mistakes in the used for my National ID Card (NIN)?

Detail of steps to take has been detailed in, "How to Correct Names (Other Data) on National ID Cards"  Kindly check! 

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