President Bola Tinubu has signed the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Act 2026 into law, replacing the 2007 legislation and giving the commission expanded powers to oversee Nigeria’s digital identity infrastructure.

NIMC disclosed this in a statement issued on Friday by its Head of Corporate Communications, Kayode Adegoke.

The new law establishes NIMC as the Root Certification Authority for Nigeria’s National Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) and Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), placing it at the centre of the country’s digital identity, authentication, and electronic trust framework.

What they are saying

NIMC described the legislation as a landmark reform that would strengthen cybersecurity, improve data protection, expand financial inclusion, and support Nigeria’s broader digital transformation agenda.

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  • According to the commission, the new law provides a modern legal framework designed to align Nigeria’s identity ecosystem with global best practices and emerging technologies.
  • A major provision of the Act designates NIMC as the trusted national authority responsible for digital identity authentication, electronic trust services, digital certificates, encryption, and secure identity verification across both public and private sector platforms.

The commission said the law also empowers it to facilitate secure and interoperable data exchange among government agencies, financial institutions, and private organisations, creating the foundation for a trusted digital economy.

  • “This landmark reform directly advances President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda by accelerating digital transformation, strengthening national security, expanding financial and social inclusion, improving public service delivery and supporting the development of a secure Digital Public Infrastructure,” the commission stated.

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NIMC noted that the previous legal framework had been in place for nearly two decades, during which the global digital landscape underwent significant changes.

  • The commission said the growth of e-commerce, digital government services, data protection requirements, and cybersecurity threats made it necessary to introduce a more robust and contemporary identity management framework.
  • Under the new law, the National Identification Number (NIN) remains the country’s foundational identity credential, reinforcing the principle of “One Person, One Identity” while enabling seamless identity verification across platforms.

Among the key provisions of the legislation are enhanced protections for personal data, which NIMC said are aligned with the provisions of the Nigeria Data Protection Act and international privacy standards.

  • The Act also introduces stricter penalties for multiple registrations and strengthens measures aimed at combating identity theft, impersonation, and other identity-related crimes.
  • In addition, both physical and digital identity credentials are formally recognised under the law, with all credentials linked to an individual’s National Identification Number.

NIMC said the legislation also introduces special measures to facilitate the enrolment of vulnerable and underserved populations, including persons without permanent residences, in a bid to improve inclusion.

Nigerians to benefit from expanded digital services

According to the commission, implementation of the new law is expected to improve access to identity services for Nigerians at home and in the diaspora while strengthening trust in digital transactions.

The commission said Nigerians should expect faster and more secure identity verification processes, stronger protection of personal data, improved interoperability among institutions, and reduced identity-related fraud.

Other expected benefits include wider financial inclusion, enhanced cybersecurity, improved ease of doing business, and more efficient public service delivery.

What you should know

Amendment of the old NIMC Act was one of the conditions for Nigeria to secure full funding under the $430 million World Bank Identity for Development (ID4D) project.

In its last report on the project, the World Bank said Nigeria had made significant progress toward fulfilling the final disbursement condition, which was the amendment of the NIMC Act to promote an inclusive and non-discriminatory legal and regulatory framework.

The Bank also reviewed the target for Nigeria under the project, increasing the number of Nigerians to be issued the National Identification Number (NIN) from 148 million to 180 million.