The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has clarified that the new price for correcting the date of birth (DOB) on the National Identification Number (NIN) database, set at N28,574, is waived if the error to be corrected was caused by the Commission.
This clarification is contained in a letter issued by Festus Esangbedo, Head of the Legal Regulatory Compliance Service Department at NIMC, which was exclusively obtained by Naijaonpoint.
The letter responds to a demand by the Data Privacy Lawyers Association (DPLAN) for compliance with Nigerian data protection law concerning fees for rectifying DOB on NIN records.
Naijaonpoint previously reported that on May 10, 2025, NIMC released a new price list for all services related to data modification on the NIN database.
According to the new price list, correcting the DOB now costs N28,574, representing a 75% increase from the previous charge of N16,340.
On May 12, 2025, Barrister Oladipupo Ige, Director of Policy at DPLAN, told Naijaonpoint in an exclusive interview that the Commission allegedly failed to inform Nigerians about exceptions and waivers for DOB correction fees as stipulated in relevant data laws.
Article 36 of the General Application and Implementation Directive (GAID) 2025 addresses the exercise of the right to rectification.
Section 4 of Article 36 states that if data rectification is to correct an error made by a data controller or processor in inputting personal data, the data subject shall not be required to pay to correct an error that is not their fault.
The section further emphasizes that data subjects must be given ample opportunity to verify their data before it is submitted in a permanent format.
Ige added that based on Article 36 of the NDP-GAID 2025, if the DOB correction is the citizen’s fault, they must pay the fee; if not, the correction is free by law.
He stressed that while NIMC can charge fees and increase them, it cannot charge for data rectifications that are not the citizen’s fault.
He alleges that NIMC’s fee increase for DOB correction aims to charge everyone regardless of who caused the error, which would contravene the law if citizens pay N28,000 for corrections due to NIMC’s fault.
In response, Esangbedo clarified that when errors occur due to NIMC’s fault or that of its agents during the initial capture process, the Commission provides immediate remediation at no cost once notified.
“This aligns with our obligations under the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA) 2023,” he stated.
“The Commission applies a fault-based approach: errors attributable to NIMC or its agents are corrected free of charge, while modifications requested by applicants based on new documentation are subject to fees.
“Thus, the fee of N28,574 applies exclusively to voluntary modifications initiated by applicants after initial registration. This is a value-added service for individuals seeking to update their DOB based on new documentation, not for correcting NIMC errors.
“Thus, the fee of N28,574 applies exclusively to voluntary modifications initiated by applicants after initial registration. This is a value-added service for individuals seeking to update their DOB based on new documentation, not for correcting NIMC errors.
“The fees represent legitimate charges for modification services, not error corrections. Where errors are attributable to NIMC, we provide free remediation,” the official stated.
In its executive summary of the new price list, NIMC noted that the fee increase was influenced by mandates to boost revenue, unify taxes, support social interventions, and add new products and services.
“Following consultations with all departments and considering inflation at 32.70%, we propose an upward review of fees and charges with at least a 20% markup, except for certain services with peculiarities,” the Commission stated.
NIMC also considered fees charged by sister agencies for similar services, such as passports and driver’s licenses.
The Commission emphasized its commitment to public service, infrastructure maintenance, and self-sustainability.