The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has thrown its weight against a fresh government plan to give every student in the country a new identification number, describing the move as unnecessary and an overreach by the agency behind it.In a statement issued on Monday, the student body faulted the National Orientation Agency (NOA) over its recent announcement of the National Learner Identification Number (LIN), a scheme meant to create a special ID for students across Nigeria.
NANS, which speaks for millions of Nigerian students both within the country and abroad, said no policy that affects its members should be rolled out without first consulting the union's leadership. "Anything done for us without us is outrightly against us," the group stated.
According to NANS, the biggest problem with the new scheme is that it duplicates something that already exists. Every Nigerian, including students, already owns a National Identification Number (NIN), which the group says should remain the country's single, recognised form of identification.
Bringing in a separate number just for learners, NANS argued, serves no real purpose and only adds an extra layer of bureaucracy where none is needed. Instead of building a brand-new system from scratch, the association believes government agencies should be putting more resources into strengthening the NIN database that is already in place.
The group did not hold back in its position, stating clearly that it rejects the Learner Identification Number entirely and will not accept its rollout under the current circumstances.
Beyond the question of duplication, NANS raised a deeper concern: that a decision with such wide-reaching consequences for millions of young Nigerians was made without any input from the very students it affects.
The association insisted that students are not passive recipients of government education policy but active stakeholders who deserve a seat at the table whenever decisions touch their academic records, personal data, welfare or future.
NANS also turned its attention to the NOA itself, accusing the agency of stepping outside the boundaries of its original mandate. The union noted that the NOA was set up to serve as a bridge between government and citizens, gathering public feedback and encouraging Nigerians to take part in decisions that affect their lives, not to design and enforce fresh identification systems.
By pushing the Learner Identification Number, NANS said, the agency risks turning itself into little more than a mouthpiece for government policy rather than a genuine channel for dialogue between citizens and the state. The association is now urging the NOA to return to its founding purpose and steer clear of duties that belong to other bodies.
NANS has formally asked the Federal Government to put a stop to the plan without delay, both its introduction and any further steps toward implementation. The association maintains that with the NIN already serving as a unique, working identifier for every citizen, there is simply no case for introducing another number solely for students.