President Bola Tinubu has signed the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Act 2026 into law, replacing the 2007 legislation and granting the commission expanded powers to manage Nigeria’s digital identity infrastructure.
The National Identity Management Commission disclosed the development in a statement issued by its Head of Corporate Communications, Kayode Adegoke.
According to the commission, 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 ecosystem.
NIMC described the legislation as a landmark reform that will strengthen cybersecurity, improve data protection, expand financial inclusion and accelerate Nigeria’s digital transformation.
The commission said the Act provides a modern legal framework designed to align Nigeria’s identity management system with global best practices and emerging digital technologies.
A key provision of the law 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 Act also empowers the commission to facilitate secure and interoperable data exchange among government agencies, financial institutions and private organisations, laying the foundation for a more 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.
NIMC noted that the previous legal framework had been in place for nearly two decades, during which rapid advances in technology, e-commerce, digital government services, data protection requirements and cybersecurity threats created the need for a more robust identity management system.
Under the new law, the National Identification Number (NIN) remains Nigeria’s foundational identity credential, reinforcing the principle of “One Person, One Identity” while enabling seamless identity verification across public and private platforms.
The legislation introduces stronger safeguards for personal data in line with the Nigeria Data Protection Act and international privacy standards. It also imposes stricter penalties for multiple registrations and strengthens measures to combat identity theft, impersonation and other identity-related crimes.
In addition, both physical and digital identity credentials are now formally recognised under the law, with all credentials linked to an individual’s National Identification Number.
The Act also introduces measures to improve the enrolment of vulnerable and underserved populations, including people without permanent residences, with the aim of expanding access to identity services.
According to NIMC, implementation of the new legislation will deliver faster and more secure identity verification, stronger protection of personal information, improved interoperability between institutions and reduced identity-related fraud.
The commission added that Nigerians should also benefit from expanded financial inclusion, improved cybersecurity, easier access to digital services, enhanced ease of doing business and more efficient public service delivery.
The amendment of the NIMC Act was one of the key conditions for Nigeria to access full funding under the World Bank’s $430 million Identity for Development (ID4D) project. The World Bank had earlier identified the amendment as a critical step towards creating a more inclusive and non-discriminatory identity management framework.
The bank also revised Nigeria’s target under the programme, increasing the number of citizens expected to receive the National Identification Number from 148 million to 180 million.
For MSMEs, the strengthened digital identity framework could simplify customer verification, improve access to digital financial services, reduce identity fraud and make it easier to conduct secure online transactions. The reforms are also expected to support digital business growth by strengthening trust in Nigeria’s digital economy.