Nigeria’s President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has signed the long-awaited National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) law, offering a comprehensive solution for the identity management needs of Nigerians and fostering digital transformation.
In an official statement, President Tinubu explained that, “For nearly twenty years, Nigeria’s identity system operated under a law written for a different era,” stressing that, “That era is over.”
He noted that “I have signed the NIMC Act 2026 into law,” clarifying that “this new Act gives our country a modern, secure, inclusive and digital identity framework fit for the Nigeria we are building; a Nigeria on the path to becoming a one-trillion-dollar economy.”
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu signs the NIMC Act 2026 into law, as Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and other cabinet members clap on.
NIMC offers “One person. One identity. One number”
Stressing that he “gave specific instructions that this law must also protect the vulnerable, the underserved, and Nigerians in the Diaspora. No Nigerian should be locked out of opportunity because they lack a trusted identity,” the Nigerian leader underscored that “The Act strengthens governance, expands representation on the NIMC Board, improves accountability, and introduces tougher penalties for identity theft, multiple registration, unauthorised access and abuse of the system.”
Warning fraudsters against identity theft, he maintained, “We will not tolerate those who forge identities, steal the identities of others, or exploit the system.”
The President commended the National Assembly, the Honourable Minister of Interior, NIMC, other development partners, and “all Nigerians whose support helped deliver this landmark legislation.”
Further describing the development as “Renewed Hope Agenda at work,” the 74-year-old leader emphasised, “together, we are building a more secure, inclusive and prosperous Nigeria.”
Cabinet members ahead of the signing ceremony.
NIMC Advances Nigeria’s Digital Transformation
Advocatus Africa gathered that this law is geared towards “Nigeria’s Digital Public Infrastructure and National Public Key Infrastructure, providing the trust foundation for verified identities, secure transactions, digital signatures and the wider digital economy.
“The Act also strengthens the protection of citizens’ data. Personal information cannot be accessed carelessly, used outside its original purpose, or treated without regard for consent and due legal process. The privacy of Nigerians must be protected, and this law makes that clear.”
This means that everyone’s National Identification Number (NIN) “will now serve as a stronger gateway to critical services, including passports, voter registration, bank accounts, land transactions, telecommunications, pensions, insurance, tax payments, consumer credit and government services.”
It is anticipated that the Act will enhance the capabilities of security agencies to monitor bandits, kidnappers, and terrorists who utilize social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook to display their victims and challenge security operatives.
