NIN Agents In South West Kick Off Protest Over Unpaid Commission

The National Identification Number (NIN) agents in the South-West geopolitical zone, contracted by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), have kicked off protests over alleged nonpayment of two years commission.

The Agents’ spokesperson, Mr. Taiwo Odebunmi, who addressed newsmen in Ibadan, the Oyo State, said their members had been hit by severe hardship.

Odebunmi, who spoke for over 120 NIN agents allegedly contracted by NIMC in South West, called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene.

According to him, the acquisition of enrollment devices and licenses was funded through the AGSMEIS loan scheme provided by NIRSAL Microfinance Bank (MFB).

He explained that each of the NIN agents was granted a loan of ₦4,109,485.72, under an agreement to be paid a monthly commission. He stated that NIMC allegedly paid April and May commissions in 2021 after which the commission payment stopped.

Odebunmi added that each agent was supposed to be paid $1 per enrollment. He also demanded that NIMC revalidate their license which the commission allegedly withdrew from them after they had paid for revalidation.

“Each agent was granted a loan of ₦4,109,485.72 under an agreement that the monthly commissions paid by NIMC would be deposited into our NIRSAL MFB repayment accounts to offset the loan.

“However, after the first two months of payment by NIMC from April to May 2021, the payment of the Commission stopped and throughout 2021, from June to December 2021, we were not paid a dime.

“This caused a lot of discomfort and loss for our members. This backlog was, however, paid in March 2022 and deductions were made in repayment of the loan based on this backlog when the moratorium ended in February 2022,” Odebunmi said.

“Since then, NIMC is owing its members commissions on enrollments done. This nonpayment of commission has caused a lot of issues for us because NIRSAL MFB has since commenced the GSI Recovery process on agents through the assistance of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

“Also, in 2023, NIMC withdrew our licences through a bogus revalidation exercise. These licences were paid for with this loan and were withdrawn without regard to the fact our contract is for a 5 year period.

“We are now appealing for the swift intervention of the federal government and its relevant agencies in ensuring the payment of the outstanding commission of $1 per enrollment and revalidation of our operation licence,” Leadership quoted Odebunmi.