The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has announced that more than 136 million Nigerians and legal residents have been enrolled into the National Identity Database (NIDB), as the newly enacted National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Act 2026 comes into force, marking a major milestone in Nigeria’s drive to establish a unified and secure digital identity system.
The Director-General of NIMC, Engr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, disclosed the development during a courtesy visit to the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning as part of the Commission’s stakeholder engagement on the implementation of the new legislation.
According to the Commission, the NIMC Act 2026 repeals the National Identity Management Commission Act of 2007 and introduces a modern legal framework aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s digital identity architecture.
Coker-Odusote explained that the new law entrenches the National Identification Number (NIN) as the country’s single foundational identity under the Federal Government’s “One Person, One Identity” policy. She added that the legislation designates NIMC as the root certificate authority for Nigeria’s digital identity infrastructure while reinforcing data protection, cybersecurity and the issuance of secure digital credentials.
She reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to ensuring that every Nigerian and legal resident is enrolled and issued a National Identification Number within the shortest possible time, describing universal identity coverage as critical to inclusive governance and national development.
The NIMC Director-General also expressed the Commission’s readiness to deepen collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning to maximise the use of the NIN in economic planning, social intervention programmes and other strategic development initiatives.
She commended the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, for supporting the enactment and implementation of the legislation, describing it as a key component of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Responding, Bagudu described the NIMC Act 2026 as a landmark reform that would strengthen Nigeria’s digital identity ecosystem and provide a more reliable foundation for national planning, governance and public service delivery.
The minister praised the leadership of NIMC for successfully driving the legislation, noting that the Act establishes a credible legal framework for a trusted, secure and inclusive national identity management system.
He, however, stressed that the law’s true value would be measured by its effective implementation and the tangible benefits it delivers to citizens and residents.
Bagudu called for stronger collaboration among the federal, state and local governments to build public confidence in the national identity system and eliminate the duplication of identity databases across government institutions.
He maintained that the National Identification Number should serve as Nigeria’s single, universally recognised identity standard capable of improving governance, enhancing service delivery, promoting financial inclusion and supporting evidence-based national planning.
The enrolment of more than 136 million Nigerians and legal residents represents one of the largest expansions of the country’s identity database since the establishment of NIMC and is expected to strengthen government efforts in security, taxation, financial inclusion, social protection and efficient public service delivery through a unified digital identity framework.
