President Bola Tinubu has signed the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Act 2026 into law, marking a major step in modernising Nigeria’s digital identity framework.
The signing ceremony took place at the State House in Abuja on Friday. It was witnessed by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Benjamin Kalu, House Leader Julius Ihonvbere, Attorney-General and Minister of Justice Lateef Fagbemi, Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, World Bank representative Taimur Samad, and NIMC Director-General Dr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote.
Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga confirmed the development, stating that the new law repeals and replaces the 2007 NIMC Act.
It establishes a modern legal framework aligned with global best practices, emerging technologies, and the needs of a digital economy.
According to NIMC DG Dr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, the Act strengthens Nigeria’s Digital Public Infrastructure, reinforces the National Identification Number (NIN) as the cornerstone of identity verification, and enhances data protection and cybersecurity.
It also provides the legal basis for a robust National Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) to support secure digital authentication, encryption, and signatures.
The new legislation promotes greater inclusion by ensuring vulnerable and underserved populations can access legal identity, while positioning NIMC as the single root of trust (Root Certificate Authority) for government transactions.
It is expected to eliminate duplicate identity systems, reduce costs, and improve service delivery across public and private sectors.
The Minister of Interior highlighted that an integrated NIMC database had already aided in the arrest of terror suspects, underscoring the law’s potential impact on national security.
This development is viewed as a significant milestone in Nigeria’s digital transformation agenda, aimed at fostering innovation, trust, and economic inclusion.
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