The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and the Association of Corporate Online Editors (ACOE) convened a roundtable workshop in Abuja on Monday to examine the implications of the new NIMC Act 2026 for Nigeria’s digital identity ecosystem.
President Bola Tinubu signed the Act into law in June 2026, replacing a framework that had remained unchanged since 2007 and marking what officials called a landmark step in the country’s digital transformation and national security architecture.
The Director General of NIMC, Engr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, represented by the Director, SERVICOM, Mrs. Florence Oloruntade, reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to implementing the Act in partnership with ACOE.
She said the law “establishes a modern legal framework that further strengthens Nigeria’s digital public infrastructure, laying the foundation for trusted identity and seamless access to government and private sector services.”
Under her leadership, NIMC has recorded major enrollment gains, including 136 million Nigerians registered with the National Identification Number (NIN), more than 800 mobile enrollment devices deployed, expanded diaspora enrollment centers, and streamlined enrollment processes.
The workshop, themed “The New NIMC Act: Building Trust, Enabling Services, Transforming Nigeria,” brought together NIMC officials and online media practitioners to discuss the Commission’s achievements, ongoing reforms, and the media’s role in building public confidence in the national identity system.
NIMC officials in attendance included the Director of Public Relations, Dr. Kayode Adegoke, along with Ismail Sule, Elijah Adejoh, and Munirat Lawal. The Project Director of the Nigeria Digital ID4D Project, Mrs. Tito Ejenavi, was represented by Mr. Seun Adebayo.
In his goodwill message, the ACOE Chairman described the association’s four-year partnership with NIMC as productive, noting that the media had an important role in helping citizens understand the country’s evolving digital identity infrastructure.
He said the National Identity Database has grown to more than 136 million enrollments as of July 2026 and pointed to the launch of NINAuth for secure digital identity verification, improved diaspora services, and nationwide enrollment expansion supported by trained Nigerian youths.
He added that the migration of telecommunications operators to NINAuth would strengthen security and help curb identity related fraud and described the NIMC Act 2026 as positioning NIMC as the Root Certification Authority for Nigeria’s Public Key Infrastructure and Digital Public Infrastructure.
Dr. Adegoke also highlighted improvements in staff welfare, including a 25 percent salary increase, provision of laptops and iPads as working tools, and functional staff buses.
Speaking on behalf of the ID4D Project, Adebayo said the initiative had supported the Federal Government’s identity reform efforts since 2020, providing technical and financial backing for diagnostic studies, stakeholder consultations, technical drafting, public hearings, and international benchmarking.
He noted that consultations held in Abuja and Lagos in February 2024 gave citizens, civil society groups, financial institutions, and the media the opportunity to contribute to the reform process.
He said the President’s assent to the Act on June 26 “marked a significant milestone, as the law repealed the 2007 Act and provided a stronger legal foundation for Nigeria’s identity management system.”
He added that the new law would strengthen inclusion, clarify eligibility, improve data protection, and provide greater guarantees around the lawful use of identity information.
Adebayo urged the media to help Nigerians understand not just the existence of the new law but its practical benefits, particularly stronger data protection, clearer identity rights, and improved access to essential services, describing the Act as a major milestone that would move Nigeria closer to a trusted, inclusive national identity system.
