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By Ayo Kehinde
President Bola Tinubu has signed into law the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Bill 2026, repealed and reenacted, a landmark legislation aimed at overhauling Nigeria’s identity management architecture, strengthening digital security and expanding access to trusted digital services across the country.
The President approved the new law on Friday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, during a ceremony attended by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Benjamin Kalu, Chairman of the House Committee on Basic Education Julius Ihonvbere, Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Lateef Fagbemi, Minister of Interior Olubunmi Ojo, Director General of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Abisoye. Coker-Odusote, World Bank Country Representative Taimur Samad and other senior government officials.
The new legislation repeals and reactivates the NIMC Act of 2007, replacing the nearly two-decade-old legal framework with provisions designed to support Nigeria’s rapidly evolving digital economy and public services ecosystem.
Speaking after the signing ceremony, NIMC Director-General, Coker-Odusote, described the development as “a defining moment in the history of identity management in Nigeria”, saying the legislation reflects President Tinubu’s commitment to digital transformation and inclusive governance.
“On behalf of the Board of Directors and Management of the NIMC, we sincerely thank Mr. President for signing this historic bill into law. His visionary leadership and steadfast commitment to digital transformation have once again positioned Nigeria for a future driven by innovation, trust and inclusion,” he said.
According to her, the new law provides a modern legal framework that strengthens Nigeria’s digital public infrastructure, while strengthening the National Identification Number (NIN) as the country’s primary identity verification and authentication system.
He noted that, after 19 years without major legislative changes, the new law aligns Nigeria’s identity management framework with current technological realities and international best practices.
Coker-Odusote explained that the law introduces greater safeguards for citizens’ personal data, strengthened cybersecurity measures and the legal foundations for a robust national public key infrastructure (PKI), enabling secure digital authentication, encryption and legally recognized digital signatures.
He said the reforms would significantly improve trust in digital transactions, while protecting Nigerians in an increasingly technology-driven economy.
The NIMC head added that the law also promotes inclusion by ensuring vulnerable and disadvantaged populations have easier access to legal identity, allowing them to benefit from government programs, financial services and broader economic opportunities.
He also revealed that the legislation establishes NIMC as the nation’s primary certification authority, making it the single point of contact for government digital transactions.
Under the new framework, government agencies will be able to issue secure digital certificates that authenticate official documents, guarantee their origin and integrity, and prevent repudiation across digital platforms.
According to her, the initiative will eliminate duplication of investment in identity management across ministries, departments and agencies while providing a unified framework for Nigeria’s national digital certification infrastructure.
Coker-Odusote also commended the National Assembly, the Minister of Home Affairs, development partners, stakeholders and NIMC staff for their contributions to the successful passage of the legislation.
He promised that the Commission will implement the new law with transparency, professionalism, innovation and the highest standards of data protection and service provision.
Speaking to journalists after the signing ceremony, Senate President Akpabio highlighted the practical security benefits of strengthening the identity management system.
He revealed that the integration of the NIMC database with the Home Office’s digital platforms has recently enabled security agencies to identify and arrest suspected terrorist operatives immediately upon their arrival in Nigeria.
“Just last week we managed to capture the terrorist leaders who came from Saudi Arabia, right in Katsina. When they landed, they simply recorded their names on the computer; it turned out that they were criminals and they arrested them,” Akpabio said.
Akpabio said the incident underlined the importance of a harmonized national identity system in strengthening national security, improving intelligence gathering and improving coordination between government institutions.
The amended law also gives the NIMC the power to harmonize identity documents, synchronize government databases and improve interoperability between public institutions, measures that are expected to accelerate digital governance and improve service delivery nationwide.
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