More than 300 independent National Identification Number (NIN) enrolment agents across Nigeria have raised concerns over unpaid commissions, mounting debts, and alleged indiscriminate deductions from their bank accounts, calling for urgent intervention by the Federal Government.
The agents, who worked under the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), said they were engaged in 2021 through File Solutions Limited, an accredited Frontend Enrolment Partner, to support the nationwide NIN registration exercise.
Addressing journalists, the group’s Coordinator, Paul Taiwo Odebunmi, alongside Co-coordinator, Mrs. Ebele Ataka, and Organising Committee member, Mrs. Bunmi Omololam, disclosed that each agent was promised a commission of $1 per successful enrolment, to be paid monthly.
To fund their operations, including the purchase of enrolment devices, the agents said they obtained loans exceeding ₦4.1 million each from NIRSAL Microfinance Bank under the AGSMEIS scheme, with repayment expected to be deducted from their commissions.
However, the agents alleged that after initial payments in April and May 2021, commissions were halted for several months, plunging many of them into financial distress. Although part of the backlog was reportedly paid in 2022, they said regular payments were never restored.
They further claimed that the situation worsened when NIRSAL MFB, reportedly backed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), began recovering the loans through the Global Standing Instruction (GSI) mechanism. This, they said, led to deductions not only from their personal accounts but also from accounts belonging to family members, referees, and business associates.
Describing the development as alarming, Odebunmi noted that some agents recorded deductions running into over ₦1 million, triggering financial strain and disputes among affected families.
The agents said their challenges intensified in October 2023 when NIMC allegedly withdrew their enrolment licences following a revalidation exercise. According to Mrs. Ataka, the action rendered their loan-financed equipment unusable, effectively cutting off their means of livelihood.
They also expressed disappointment over what they described as unfulfilled promises by NIMC to clear outstanding payments. Despite a public commitment in March 2024 after media intervention, the agents said only partial payments were made, leaving significant balances unpaid.
Mrs. Omololam further raised concerns over transparency, alleging discrepancies in exchange rates used for payments and inconsistencies in enrolment records.
The group added that attempts to engage NIRSAL Microfinance Bank on loan restructuring, including a meeting in August 2025, failed to produce meaningful outcomes. They also accused the bank of refusing to provide detailed account statements, hindering efforts to reconcile their obligations.
In a formal appeal jointly signed by the trio, the agents demanded immediate suspension of GSI deductions, a stakeholders’ meeting involving NIMC, NIRSAL MFB, and File Solutions Limited, as well as the removal of liens placed on their Bank Verification Numbers (BVNs) and businesses.
They also called for the cancellation of the loans or their conversion to grants, citing alleged breaches in the terms of engagement.
The agents warned that the prolonged dispute has led to severe socio-economic consequences, including business failures, health challenges, and reported loss of lives.
They urged the Federal Government and relevant authorities to urgently intervene and provide a lasting solution to the crisis, noting that the situation undermines the objectives of the AGSMEIS scheme aimed at supporting small businesses and economic growth.
