By Favour Raphael
President Bola Tinubu has signed the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Act, 2026 into law, repealing the 2007 legislation and establishing a new legal framework to strengthen Nigeria’s digital identity system.
The new law expands the powers of the National Identity Management Commission, designating it as the Root Certification Authority for Nigeria’s National Public Key Infrastructure and Digital Public Infrastructure, placing the commission at the centre of the country’s digital identity and authentication architecture.
The legislation also reinforces the National Identification Number (NIN) as Nigeria’s foundational identity under the “One Person, One Identity” policy and empowers NIMC to facilitate secure data exchange among government agencies, financial institutions and private organisations.
Speaking after the signing ceremony at the State House, Senate President Godswill Akpabio said the integration of NIMC’s database with the Ministry of Interior’s digital platforms had already enhanced national security.
According to him, security agencies recently identified and apprehended suspected terrorist operatives attempting to enter Nigeria through the country’s digital identity system.
Akpabio said the legislation would improve digital governance, immigration management, infrastructure planning and economic development while aligning Nigeria’s identity management framework with global standards.
He dismissed suggestions that the National Assembly hurried the bill, explaining that lawmakers spent nearly two years conducting public hearings, stakeholder consultations and studying international best practices before its passage.
Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo described the presidential assent as a major milestone, saying the law would strengthen identity management by harmonising government databases and improving interoperability across public institutions.
He added that the legislation would serve as a key component of Nigeria’s security architecture.
The Director-General of NIMC, Dr Abisoye Coker-Odusote, described the new Act as the most significant reform of Nigeria’s identity management system in nearly two decades.
She said the legislation modernises the country’s identity framework in line with global technological developments and strengthens digital trust, authentication and verification across government institutions.
According to NIMC, the Act introduces stronger safeguards for personal data in line with the Nigeria Data Protection Act, while prescribing tougher penalties for identity-related offences, including multiple registration, impersonation and identity theft.
The law also provides for the enrolment of vulnerable and underserved populations, including people without permanent residences, and recognises both physical and digital identity credentials linked to the National Identification Number.
The commission said the reforms would improve identity verification, expand financial and digital inclusion, enhance interoperability across public and private institutions, and support the ease of doing business in Nigeria.
