FG Begins Implementation of New NIMC Law as Enrollment Reaches 136 Million – THIS UPDATE

National Identification Number (NIN) enrollments have risen to 136 million, marking a significant milestone in Nigeria’s efforts to build a unified digital identity system and expand access to government services.

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) disclosed the figure in a statement on Tuesday, noting that the milestone was announced by its Director-General, Abisoye Coker-Odusote, during a courtesy visit to the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning.

The commitment is part of consultations with Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) on the implementation of the recently promulgated NIMC Act 2026.

The latest figure represents an increase of more than 12 million signups compared to the 123.9 million recorded in October 2025, reflecting the government’s intensified push to expand digital identity coverage.

During the meeting, Coker-Odusote said the new NIMC law replaces the 2007 law governing the Commission and provides a modern legal framework for Nigeria’s digital identity ecosystem.

He explained that the law establishes the NIN as the country’s core identity credential under the federal government’s “one person, one identity” policy, while designating NIMC as the primary certification authority for Nigeria’s digital infrastructure.

According to her, the legislation also introduces stronger data protection measures, greater cybersecurity safeguards and digital credentials to support secure identity verification.

Coker-Odusote reiterated the Commission’s commitment to enroll all Nigerians and legal residents as quickly as possible and pledged to work more closely with the Ministry to integrate digital identity into national planning and development.

The Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, has described the new law as an important step towards strengthening Nigeria’s digital identity framework and improving governance.

He called for greater collaboration between federal, state and local governments to eliminate duplicative identity databases, stressing that the NIN should become the country’s universally accepted identity standard.

President Bola Tinubu recently signed the NIMC Act 2026 into law, expanding the Commission’s powers to oversee Nigeria’s digital identity infrastructure and placing it at the center of the country’s digital authentication and e-trust framework.