In order to receive government services like healthcare, land, and education, among others, Edo residents must register online or in person for the Edo Residency Card, which the state government launched. Once registered, they will receive an identification number.

The Head of Service in the State, Anthony Okungbowa Esq., introduced the card at the annual Alaghodaro Investment Summit on Friday in Government House, Benin City. He stated that the card is just one of many innovations of the administration led by Governor Godwin Obaseki that will transform the State’s governance.

Obaseki declared, “Today we are launching the Edo State Residency Card,” after being given the first card as the State’s first citizen. Although we do not know them, we estimate that there are approximately five million people living in our state.

“The goal of this card, which is in collaboration with some of our financial partners, is to ensure that we will issue approximately one million of these cards to our citizens before I leave office,” he continued.

“The cards will come in various forms; some will be for students, and some will have an electronic purse that people can use for their financial transactions,” he explained. It is policy that if you do not have the residency card, you might not be able to use government services in Edo.”

“All children must be registered as residents in order for us to accept them into our schools; otherwise, we will not know who their parents are. Under the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) program, the residency card and national identity card are linked. The same algorithm was used to issue both cards, giving us a single form of identity similar to what is seen in most other nations.

“I want to beg every Edo citizen to go out there and register and get a residency card. Even though you will not have the card in person, you will have your identification number, which will be used to identify you every time we interact with you,” the governor said.

He insisted that residents would not be able to obtain land, a certificate of occupancy, or access to the Edo State health insurance program, among other services, without the identification number.

According to Mrs. Sarah Esangbedo Ajose-Adeogun, Special Advisor to the Governor on Strategy, Policy, Project, and Performance Management, the cards will make it easier to collect data for State development.

She asked citizens with NIN numbers to register in person at any of the state’s local government offices or online.