President Bola Tinubu has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to establishing a credible, secure, and verifiable national identity management system, describing it as critical to achieving Nigeria’s developmental goals.
In a statement, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga said the President stated this on Thursday at the State House, Abuja, during the official launch of the NINAuth App — a mobile-based identity authentication application developed by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).
Highlighting the importance of digital transformation in governance, President Tinubu said his administration is leveraging technology to enhance efficiency, transparency, and accountability across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs). He announced that all MDAs would soon adopt the new app for staff and data verification.
“Today’s launch of the NIMC NINAuth App marks another milestone in our journey towards a digitally empowered Nigeria,” he said. “A credible and inclusive National Identity Management System is fundamental to our development goals. It supports financial inclusion, strengthens social welfare delivery, enhances security, and ensures accurate population data for evidence-based planning.”
According to the President, the innovation will position Nigeria among the world’s most technologically advanced nations by enabling seamless and secure access to services and benefits while upholding data protection and national security standards.
“By simplifying access and reducing bureaucratic interference, we are closing the gaps where inefficiency and corruption thrive,” he added. “With NINAuth, every citizen and legal resident will benefit from a unified National Identity Database that will power social programmes, improve electoral integrity, enhance healthcare, and promote equitable resource distribution.”
President Tinubu commended NIMC for transforming identity management into a technology-driven system aligned with global best practices and urged Nigerians to embrace the new era of digital identity.
Earlier, Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, praised the President’s vision, describing technology as the foundation of efficient governance and national security. “Every nation that desires to be efficient must first build systems that can identify, authenticate, and secure its citizens,” he said.
NIMC Director-General, Engr. (Dr.) Abisoye Coker-Odusote, explained that the NINAuth App will eliminate multiple data ownership and provide real-time verification for individuals, businesses, and government services. She revealed that NIMC has so far enrolled 126.7 million Nigerians, with over 25 million registrations recorded in the last two years and an average of 1.3 million verification hits daily.
