The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has announced that it has enrolled more than 136 million Nigerians and legal residents into the National Identity Database (NIDB), marking a major milestone in the country’s drive towards a unified and secure digital identity system.
According to an official signed statement by the Head, Corporate Communications, NIMC, Kayode Adegoke, the Director-General of the Commission, Engr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, disclosed the achievement during a courtesy visit to the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning as part of ongoing stakeholder engagements with Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) on the implementation of the new NIMC Act 2026.
During the visit, Engr. Coker-Odusote presented the new legislation, which repeals and replaces the 2007 NIMC Act. She explained that the updated legal framework modernises Nigeria’s digital identity ecosystem by positioning the National Identification Number (NIN) as the foundational identifier under the Federal Government’s “One Person, One Identity” policy.
She noted that the Act also establishes NIMC as the root certificate authority for Nigeria’s national digital infrastructure while introducing stronger data protection, cybersecurity safeguards and digital credentials to support a secure and trusted identity management system.
The Director-General reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to enrolling all Nigerians and legal residents and issuing them National Identification Numbers within the shortest possible time. She expressed the Commission’s readiness to partner with the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning in leveraging the NIN to strengthen economic planning and drive national development.
Engr. Coker-Odusote also appreciated the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, for his leadership and continued support in advancing the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, particularly in the area of digital identity management.
In his remarks, Senator Bagudu reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to the successful implementation of the NIMC Act 2026, describing it as a landmark legislation that would strengthen Nigeria’s digital identity ecosystem and support effective national planning and development.
He commended the Director-General and the leadership of NIMC for their efforts in securing the passage of the Act, noting that it provides a robust legal foundation for a secure, trusted and inclusive national identity management system.
The Minister stressed that the success of the legislation would ultimately depend on its effective implementation and the tangible benefits it delivers to citizens. He called for stronger collaboration among federal, state and local governments to build public confidence in the national identity system and eliminate the duplication of identity databases across government institutions.
Senator Bagudu further emphasised that the National Identification Number should serve as Nigeria’s single, universally accepted identity standard to promote efficient service delivery, enhance governance and support national development.
