By Gabriel Ameh
ABUJA — The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and the Association of Corporate Online Editors (ACOE) have examined the implications of the NIMC Act 2026 and its potential impact on Nigeria’s digital identity ecosystem.
The stakeholders spoke at a roundtable workshop held in Abuja on Monday with the theme, “The New NIMC Act: Building Trust, Enabling Services, Transforming Nigeria.”
The engagement brought together NIMC officials and members of the online media to discuss the commission’s recent reforms, achievements and the importance of public awareness in building trust in Nigeria’s national identity system.
Among the NIMC officials at the event were the Director of Public Relations, Dr. Kayode Adegoke; Ismail Sule; Elijah Adejoh; and Munirat Lawal.
The Project Director of the Project Implementation Unit (PIU), Nigeria Digital ID4D Project, Mrs. Tito Ejenavi, was represented by Mr. Seun Adebayo, while the Director-General of NIMC, Engr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, was represented by the Director, SERVICOM, Mrs. Florence Oloruntade.
In a goodwill message, the Chairman of ACOE commended NIMC’s leadership and described the association’s four-year partnership with the commission as productive and impactful.
The chairman said ACOE remained committed to keeping Nigerians informed about NIMC’s activities, reforms and achievements, stressing that the media had a critical role in helping citizens understand the significance of Nigeria’s evolving digital identity infrastructure.
According to him, NIMC has recorded significant milestones under Coker-Odusote’s leadership, including the expansion of the National Identity Database to more than 136 million enrolments as of July 2026.
Other milestones highlighted included the introduction of NINAuth for secure digital identity verification, the strengthening of digital identity infrastructure, improved diaspora services and the expansion of enrolment nationwide with the support of trained Nigerian youths.
He said the migration of telecommunications operators to NINAuth would further strengthen identity verification and help reduce identity-related fraud.
The ACOE chairman also described the NIMC Act 2026, signed into law in June, as a major milestone in Nigeria’s identity management reform.
He said the new legislation modernised the legal framework governing identity management and positioned NIMC as the Root Certification Authority for Nigeria’s Public Key Infrastructure and Digital Public Infrastructure.
According to him, the Act also strengthens data protection and cybersecurity while supporting financial and social inclusion, government services and private-sector transactions through digital identity.
He added that the legislation would support the enrolment of vulnerable and underserved Nigerians while further positioning NIMC at the centre of Nigeria’s Digital Public Infrastructure.
The Director of Public Affairs, Dr. Kayode Adegoke, also highlighted improvements in staff welfare and operational capacity at the commission, including a 25 per cent salary increase, provision of laptops and iPads as working tools and functional staff buses.
Speaking on behalf of the Nigeria Digital ID4D Project, Adebayo said the initiative had supported the Federal Government since 2020 in its efforts to establish a robust, inclusive and trusted foundational identity system.
Adebayo explained that legal reform was a major component of the project because the previous NIMC Act, enacted in 2007, had become inadequate for the demands of modern digital identity management.
The project, Adebayo said, provided technical and financial support for the review process, including diagnostic studies, stakeholder consultations, technical drafting, public hearings and international benchmarking.
The consultations held in Abuja and Lagos in February 2024 provided opportunities for citizens, civil society organisations, financial institutions and the media to contribute to the reform process.
Adebayo said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s assent to the NIMC Act 2026 on June 26 marked a significant milestone, as the new legislation repealed the 2007 Act and established a stronger legal foundation for Nigeria’s identity management system.
The new law, Adebayo added, would strengthen inclusion, clarify eligibility and improve safeguards around the protection, lawful use and disclosure of personal identity information.
The Nigeria Digital ID4D Project will also continue supporting 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.
Adebayo urged the media to go beyond reporting the existence of the new law by helping Nigerians understand its practical benefits, particularly stronger data protection, clearer identity rights and improved access to essential services.
The project described the enactment of the NIMC Act 2026 as an important step towards building a more robust, inclusive and trusted national identity system capable of improving access to essential services for Nigerians.
