President Bola Tinubu has signed the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Act 2026 into law, repealing the 2007 legislation to modernize Nigeria’s digital identity management system.
The new Act establishes NIMC as Nigeria’s trusted digital identity authority, responsible for secure authentication, encryption, digital signatures, and electronic trust services. It designates the commission as the country’s root certification authority for national public key infrastructure and digital public infrastructure.
According to Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the legislation reinforces the National Identification Number (NIN) as Nigeria’s foundational identity credential under the “one person, one identity” principle, while enabling secure data exchange across public and private sectors.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio described the reform as landmark legislation “that would outlive us,” noting that integrating identity databases with security platforms has already strengthened law enforcement capabilities.
NIMC Director-General Abisoye Coker-Odusote said the law will strengthen cybersecurity, improve public service delivery, expand financial inclusion, and accelerate Nigeria’s digital transformation.
