The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has clarified that the newly announced fee of N28,574 for correcting the date of birth (DOB) on the National Identification Number (NIN) database will not apply when the error was caused by the Commission or its accredited agents.
This clarification came in a letter signed by Festus Esangbedo, Head of the Legal Regulatory Compliance Service Department at NIMC, obtained exclusively by Nairametrics.
The letter addressed a formal request from the Data Privacy Lawyers Association of Nigeria (DPLAN), which demanded that NIMC comply with data protection laws in relation to the new fee structure.
Earlier in May 2025, NIMC published a revised price list for NIN modification services, raising the DOB correction fee from N16,340 to N28,574, a 75% increase. This sparked concerns from legal and civil society groups about compliance with the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA) 2023 and the recently issued General Application and Implementation Directive (GAID) 2025.
Legal context and data protection rights
According to Article 36 of GAID 2025, individuals have a legal right to request rectification of personal data without cost if the error originated from the data controller or processor. Specifically, Section 4 states that data subjects “shall not be required to pay to correct an error that is not their fault.”
Speaking to Nairametrics, Barrister Oladipupo Ige, Director of Policy at DPLAN, emphasized that while NIMC has the authority to set fees for voluntary modifications, charging citizens for mistakes made by the Commission directly violates data protection principles.
NIMC’s detailed clarification
In response, Esangbedo stated that the Commission operates a fault-based approach for corrections. Errors caused by NIMC or its agents during initial data capture are corrected free of charge, provided the affected individual notifies the agency and provides necessary evidence.
“This aligns fully with our obligations under the NDPA 2023,” he noted.
Esangbedo further explained that the new self-service modification portal has introduced enhanced verification steps, including cross-checking the National Population Commission (NPC) certificate number that auto-populates the DOB field, and a final attestation stage where individuals review and confirm all details.
“The N28,574 fee strictly applies to voluntary modifications initiated by applicants after initial registration — for example, when an individual obtains new documentation and seeks to update their DOB,” he clarified.
The Commission emphasized that these fees are classified as value-added services, not penalties, and are essential for maintaining operational quality, infrastructure, and service sustainability.
Revenue and sustainability considerations
In an executive summary accompanying the new pricing, NIMC noted that the upward revision aligns with directives to increase internally generated revenue, unify government charges, support social intervention programs, and introduce new digital services.
The Commission cited inflationary pressures — pegged at 32.70% — and benchmarked its pricing against similar services offered by sister agencies such as the Nigeria Immigration Service (for passports) and the Federal Road Safety Corps (for driver’s licenses).
“After broad consultations, we proposed an average upward review of at least 20%, except in cases requiring special considerations,” the summary stated.
Public assurance and call for vigilance
While NIMC assured citizens of its commitment to affordable, transparent, and lawful service delivery, it also urged the public to verify all personal data thoroughly during initial registration and to utilize official channels when seeking modifications.
Speaking on behalf of DPLAN, Barrister Ige urged Nigerians to be aware of their rights under data protection laws and to report any instances where they are wrongly charged for corrections resulting from NIMC’s errors.
