How to Get Your National Identification Number (NIN) in Nigeria
Your National Identification Number (NIN) is the 11-digit number that ties your identity together in Nigeria. You need it to register a SIM card, to apply for an international passport, to open or upgrade a bank account, to register for JAMB and to access a growing list of government and private services. Employers increasingly ask for it during onboarding too.
The good news is that getting a NIN is free at government enrolment centers, and you can start the process online. This guide explains who can enroll, what to bring, how the enrolment works, what it costs if you choose a paid option, and how to check, print, protect and correct your NIN afterwards.
The short version
- Pre-enroll online at penrol.nimc.gov.ng and print your pre-enrolment slip.
- Take the slip and a supporting document to a NIMC enrolment center.
- Have your fingerprints, photograph and signature captured.
- Receive your NIN and collect your NIN slip.
- Check your NIN any time by dialing *346# on the phone number you registered with.
Regular enrolment and your first NIN slip are free at NIMC centers.
What the NIN is, and who can get one
The NIN is issued by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC). It is a set of 11 random digits assigned to you once your details and biometrics are recorded in the National Identity Database. It never changes and is never reissued to anyone else, so one person has one number for life.
Who can enroll: Nigerian citizens and people legally resident in Nigeria, from birth. Children can be enrolled, and Nigerians living abroad can enroll through approved partners in their country of residence.
In 2026, the NIMC Act 2026 gave the NIN legal backing as the primary identity credential for public and private sector services, built on the principle of one person, one identity and one number. In practice, that means the NIN is becoming harder to do without, not easier.
Why you need a NIN
- SIM cards. Telecom operators must link every SIM to a NIN. Unlinked lines can be restricted.
- International passport. The Nigeria Immigration Service portal verifies your NIN and date of birth before you can apply. Our guide to getting an international passport in Nigeria explains that process.
- Banking. Banks use your NIN, alongside your BVN, to verify you and to upgrade your account limits.
- Exams and education. JAMB requires a NIN to register for the UTME, and many schools and scholarship schemes ask for it.
- Jobs and government services. Employers, pension administrators and government agencies use it to verify identity.
Before you go: get your details right
The details you give at enrolment become your official identity record, and changing them later costs money and time. Before you enroll, decide exactly how your name should appear, in what order, and with what spelling. Make sure your date of birth matches your birth certificate and your other documents.
This matters more than most people realise. Your passport, your bank records and your exam registration will all be checked against your NIN record. A small spelling difference between your NIN and your certificates can stop a passport application or delay a bank upgrade years later.
Step 1: Pre-enroll online
NIMC recommends starting at penrol.nimc.gov.ng, its pre-enrolment and booking site, to save waiting time at the center.
- Open penrol.nimc.gov.ng on your phone or computer.
- Fill in your biodata: name, date of birth, gender, state of origin, address and contact details.
- Check every field, then submit.
- Print the pre-enrolment slip. It carries a barcode that the enrolment officer scans to pull up your details.
Pre-enrolment is optional, but it shortens the time you spend at the center because officers do not need to type your details from scratch.
Step 2: Gather your documents
Bring your pre-enrolment slip and at least one supporting document that confirms your identity and date of birth, for example:
- Birth certificate or sworn declaration of age
- International passport
- Driver's license
- Permanent Voter's Card
If you do not have any of these, ask your nearest center what they accept before you go. Bring the originals and a photocopy of each.
Step 3: Go to a NIMC enrolment center
NIMC has enrolment centers in every state, and its site lists their locations. Since February 2026, NIMC has also run decentralized enrolment at designated ward-level enrolment centers across the country, so many people can now enroll much closer to home. Check the official NIMC website for the nearest center.
At the center, an officer will:
- Scan your pre-enrolment slip or enter your details.
- Check your supporting documents.
- Capture your ten fingerprints, a head-and-shoulders photograph and your signature.
- Give you a transaction slip confirming that your enrolment was recorded.
Go early, especially at busy centers in big cities, and keep your transaction slip safe until your NIN is issued.
Step 4: Get your NIN and NIN slip
Once your record has been processed, you are issued your NIN and can collect your NIN slip. How long this takes varies from a few days to a few weeks, depending on the center and on whether your record needs extra checks.
Your first NIN slip at a regular NIMC center is free.
The NIN slip is your legal proof of NIN. NIMC has warned that the plastic "NIN cards" sold by some cyber cafés and vendors are not authorized and must not be presented as identification. Do not pay for one.
The paid option: premium enrolment
If you want to avoid queues, NIMC also offers premium enrolment at licensed lounges and partner centers for ₦20,000. You get the same NIN either way. Premium enrolment simply buys convenience, so it is worth it only if your time is worth more to you than the fee.
Enrolling children
Children can be enrolled from birth. A parent or guardian brings the child to an enrolment center, along with the child's birth certificate and the parent's own NIN. Biometric capture for young children may be limited, and older children may need to update their biometrics later. Get your child's NIN well before they need it for school, exams or a passport.
Enrolling from abroad
Nigerians living abroad enroll through NIMC's licensed diaspora enrolment partners rather than at embassies. You book an appointment with a partner in your country, attend with valid documents such as your Nigerian passport or birth certificate, and have your biometrics captured.
Diaspora enrolment is not free. Under NIMC's fee schedule, regular enrolment costs $50 for an adult and $30 for a child in African countries, and $70 for an adult and $50 for a child in other countries. Use only partners listed on the official NIMC website.
How to check your NIN
If you have enrolled but cannot find your slip, you can retrieve your NIN in minutes:
- By USSD: dial *346# from the phone number you used at enrolment and follow the prompt to retrieve your NIN. A small network charge applies.
- By app: the official NIMC MobileID app shows your digital NIN profile once you verify your details.
- At a center: visit any NIMC center with identification.
How to print your NIN slip
You can download your NIN slip through NIMC's official self-service portal, selfservicemodification.nimc.gov.ng, instead of returning to a centre. You register with an email address, upload a government ID, complete a facial capture and verify your NIN. The self-service slip costs ₦1,000. A regular reissued slip for a lost or damaged one is ₦600 at a center, and the premium slip costs ₦3,500.
Protecting your NIN with a virtual NIN
Because your NIN unlocks so much, avoid handing out the actual number when you do not have to. NIMC's virtual NIN (vNIN) is a temporary token that lets an organization verify you without seeing your real NIN. Each vNIN is created for the specific organization that requests it.
You can generate one in the NIMC Mobile ID app by choosing "Get Virtual NIN" and selecting the organization, or by dialing:
*346*3*your NIN*the organization's agent code#
The organization gives you its agent code. If a bank, telecom provider or verification service accepts a vNIN, use it instead of your actual number.
How to correct or update your NIN details
If your name, date of birth, address or phone number is wrong or has changed, update it through the official self-service portal or at an enrolment center. NIMC has warned Nigerians to use only its official channels, because unofficial sites can expose personal data to fraudsters.
Corrections are not free. Under the fee schedule NIMC introduced in May 2025:
| Change | Fee in Nigeria |
|---|---|
| Date of birth correction | ₦28,574 |
| Other details, such as name or address (per change) | ₦2,000 |
Some changes, especially to your date of birth or name, require supporting documents such as a birth certificate, a court affidavit or a newspaper publication, and may require a visit to a center. NIMC can also limit how often certain details can be changed, so get it right the first time.
After any change, make sure your other records follow. If your NIN name changes after marriage, for example, update your bank and passport records too, so that every system shows the same identity.
Worked example: Tunde's NIN before JAMB
Tunde is 17, lives in Ibadan and plans to register for the UTME. He has no NIN, and JAMB registration opens in six weeks.
Day 1. His mother checks his birth certificate and confirms the spelling of his full name. Tunde pre-enrolls on penrol.nimc.gov.ng, entering his name exactly as it appears on the certificate, and prints the slip.
Day 3. They visit the ward enrolment center near their home with the pre-enrolment slip, his birth certificate and photocopies. His fingerprints, photograph and signature are captured, and he receives a transaction slip.
Week 2. Tunde dials *346# from the phone number he registered with and retrieves his NIN. He collects his free NIN slip from the center and stores a photo of it securely.
Week 3. He registers for the UTME with his NIN, weeks before the deadline.
The lesson: start early, and match your NIN details to your birth certificate exactly. Nearly every NIN problem later on starts with a rushed enrolment.
Avoiding NIN scams
- Enrolment at NIMC centers is free. Anyone charging you for regular enrolment or your first slip is not following the official process.
- Do not buy "NIN cards." The NIN slip is the legal document. Plastic cards printed by vendors are unauthorized.
- Use only official sites. Pre-enrolment is on penrol.nimc.gov.ng, and self-service changes are on selfservicemodification.nimc.gov.ng.
- Do not share your NIN on social media or with anyone who calls asking for it. Use a vNIN where you can.
The same caution applies when a job offer asks for your NIN, BVN or bank details before any interview. Our guide to job application red flags and scams shows how to tell a real recruiter from a fraudster.
What about the new national ID card?
NIMC has been developing a General Multipurpose Card (GMPC), a chip-based national ID card that will also work as a debit or prepaid card on the AfriGO payment scheme. NIMC has said Nigerians will pay for it and that banks will help distribute it. Until it is fully available in your area, the NIN slip remains your legal proof of identity, and you do not need the card to use your NIN.
Your NIN and your job search
Employers in Nigeria routinely ask for your NIN during onboarding, and pension and tax registration depend on it. Remote and international employers may also ask you to verify your identity with a government ID, sometimes on camera. Our guide on how honest applicants handle identity verification explains what to expect.
A NIN is also the first step towards an international passport, which you will need for any job, study or conference abroad. Once both documents are in order, the rest of your application is in your hands.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to get a NIN in Nigeria? Regular enrolment and your first NIN slip are free at NIMC enrolment centers. Premium enrolment at licensed lounges costs ₦20,000. Diaspora enrolment costs between $30 and $70 depending on your age and country.
How long does it take to get a NIN? Enrolment itself takes one visit. Your NIN and slip are usually ready within a few days to a few weeks, depending on the center.
Can I register for NIN online? You can pre-enroll online at penrol.nimc.gov.ng, but you must visit an enrolment center for fingerprint and photo capture. Full registration cannot be completed online.
How do I check my NIN if I have forgotten it? Dial *346# from the phone number you used at enrolment and follow the prompt, or use the NIMC MobileID app.
Is the plastic NIN card valid? No. NIMC says the NIN slip is the legal document and that plastic "NIN cards" printed by vendors are not authorized.
How much does it cost to change my date of birth on my NIN? ₦28,574 in Nigeria, under the fees NIMC introduced in May 2025. Other changes, such as name or address, cost ₦2,000 per change.
Can a child get a NIN? Yes. Children can be enrolled from birth by a parent or guardian, who brings the child's birth certificate and their own NIN.
Related reading
- How to Get an International Passport in Nigeria: The Complete 2026 Guide
- US Job Application Red Flags: Spotting Fake Job Postings and Scams
- Deepfake Job Candidates: How Honest Applicants Win
- The Money Knowledge Every Professional Should Have
- Certifications That Pay in 2026: The Honest ROI Guide
Ready for the next step?
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