The project supported the review of the law through technical and financial assistance, stakeholder consultations, legal drafting, public hearings and international benchmarking
By Moses Okorie
The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and the Association of Corporate Online Editors (ACOE) have reviewed the impact of the newly enacted NIMC Act 2026, with stakeholders describing the legislation as a major step towards strengthening Nigeria’s digital identity system.
The review took place on Monday in Abuja during the seventh ACOE-NIMC Roundtable Workshop, organised under the theme, “The New NIMC Act: Building Trust, Enabling Services, Transforming Nigeria.”
The forum provided an opportunity for NIMC officials, development partners and online media practitioners to examine recent developments in the national identity sector, the commission’s achievements and the implications of the new legal framework for Nigerians.
Representing the Director-General of NIMC, Engr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, was the Director, SERVICOM, Mrs. Florence Oloruntade, while the Project Director, Project Implementation Unit (PIU), Nigeria Digital ID4D Project, Mrs. Tito Ejenavi, was represented by Mr. Seun Adebayo.
Also present were NIMC’s Director of Public Relations, Dr. Kayode Adegoke, alongside Ismail Sule, Elijah Adejoh and Munirat Lawal.
In his goodwill message, the Chairman of ACOE commended NIMC’s management for its reforms and described the association’s partnership with the commission over the past four years as beneficial.
He said the collaboration had enabled the media to gain better understanding of NIMC’s programmes and communicate its activities and achievements to the public.
According to him, NIMC has expanded the National Identity Database to more than 136 million enrolments as of July 2026, describing the figure as one of the major milestones recorded by the commission.
He also cited the deployment of NINAuth for secure digital identity verification, improvements in digital identity infrastructure, enhanced services for Nigerians in the diaspora and the expansion of enrolment centres nationwide as key achievements.
The chairman said the migration of telecommunications operators to NINAuth would strengthen identity verification, improve security and help tackle fraud associated with identity management.
He further described the NIMC Act 2026, signed into law in June, as a significant development that would bring Nigeria’s identity management framework in line with current digital realities.
The Act, he said, strengthens NIMC’s role in Nigeria’s digital infrastructure, including its designation as the Root Certification Authority for the country’s Public Key Infrastructure and Digital Public Infrastructure.
The legislation also provides a stronger framework for data protection, cybersecurity, inclusion and access to services, while supporting the integration of digital identity into government and private-sector services.
Speaking on NIMC’s internal reforms, Adegoke highlighted improvements in staff welfare and working conditions, including a 25 per cent salary increase, the provision of laptops and iPads to personnel and the deployment of functional staff buses.
Representing the Nigeria Digital ID4D Project, Adebayo said the project had been supporting the Federal Government since 2020 in its efforts to develop a trusted and inclusive foundational identity system.
She said the reform of the legal framework was necessary because the former NIMC Act of 2007 could no longer adequately address the demands of a modern digital identity ecosystem.
According to her, the project supported the review of the law through technical and financial assistance, stakeholder consultations, legal drafting, public hearings and international benchmarking.
She said consultations held in Abuja and Lagos in February 2024 brought together citizens, civil society organisations, financial institutions and media stakeholders whose contributions helped shape the reform process.
Adebayo described President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s assent to the NIMC Act 2026 on June 26 as a landmark achievement, noting that the legislation repealed the 2007 Act and established a stronger foundation for identity management in Nigeria.
She said the new Act would improve inclusion by clarifying eligibility requirements and strengthening provisions for vulnerable and underserved populations.
The law, she added, would also enhance safeguards for citizens’ personal information and provide clearer provisions for the lawful disclosure and use of identity data.
Adebayo assured that the Nigeria Digital ID4D Project would continue to support NIMC in expanding enrolment, integrating national identity with civil registration, modernising its systems and improving access for women, persons with disabilities and other underserved groups.
She urged the media to intensify public enlightenment on the new law, stressing that Nigerians needed to understand how the legislation would affect their everyday lives.
She said greater awareness of data protection, identity rights and access to essential services would be crucial to building public trust in Nigeria’s digital identity system.
Adebayo described the NIMC Act 2026 as a significant milestone that would help move Nigeria closer to a robust, inclusive and trusted foundational identity system capable of supporting access to essential services for citizens across the country.