NIMC has more than one version of the NIN slip in circulation, and the names cause genuine confusion. Here is what separates them.
Our catalogue page covers reissuing a slip after loss or damage, once you know which version you are dealing with.
The standard slip
The standard slip is what NIMC issues as part of enrolment itself, at no extra cost. It is the version most people who enrolled some years ago are still holding, often on the paper it was first printed on at the centre.
Nothing about holding a standard slip on its own means you have done anything wrong. It is simply an older format that predates the improved version.
If yours is lost or damaged, our guide on reprinting a lost slip covers the reissue route.
The improved slip
The improved slip is a redesigned version printed on on plain A4 paper, front and back. NIMC's own printing guide describes a payment step through Remita, and we could not confirm the current amount on the sources we checked.
Layout and print quality aside, it draws on the same underlying NIMC record as your standard slip. Printing one does not create a second, different identity record.
Our step-by-step guide to printing it covers the process, along with a confirmed free way to get a digital copy of your slip instead.
What "premium" refers to
NIMC lists a premium version of the improved slip alongside the standard one. We found nothing that separates its price from the standard improved slip's Remita payment, so do not assume a fixed figure for either until you check the payment screen yourself.
Separately, NIMC offers a paid VIP reissue service, at ₦3,500. That is a faster route to a fresh physical slip, not a self-print option, and it is a different thing from the "premium" improved slip.
Three names, two genuinely different services: a self-print option with an unclear fee, and a paid VIP reissue with a confirmed one. Keep them separate in your head, and in what you ask a provider for.
A quick comparison
| Type | What it is | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | Issued at enrolment | Included in enrolment |
| Improved (self-print) | Printed on on plain A4 paper, front and back | A Remita payment; amount not confirmed here |
| VIP reissue | A faster, paid replacement slip | ₦3,500 |
Our reissue cost guide sets the reissue figures out in more depth, alongside a confirmed free alternative.
Which one institutions ask for
We did not find a NIMC statement saying the standard slip is no longer accepted. Some banks, schools and embassies ask specifically for the improved slip; others accept either.
Confirm with the specific institution rather than assuming. Carrying both, if you have them, is a reasonable precaution before a one-off appointment where you cannot easily go back and print another.
Our piece on whether the old slip is still valid goes deeper into this exact question, including what to do if one is rejected on the spot.
Common mistakes
- Assuming "premium" means a higher tier is compulsory. Standard enrolment already includes a slip.
- Guessing at the printing fee. Check NIMC's fees page rather than repeating a figure you saw elsewhere.
- Handing over a slip an institution has not asked for. Confirm the accepted version first, especially for something time-sensitive.
- Forgetting a free digital option exists. Not every situation needs a fresh paper printout.