President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has signed the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Act 2026 into law, replacing the 2007 legislation with a new legal framework aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s digital identity system, improving cybersecurity, and supporting the country’s digital economy.
The National Identity Management Commission said the new Act establishes it as Nigeria’s Root Certification Authority for the National Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) and Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI). In this role, the Commission will serve as the country’s trusted authority for secure digital identity, authentication, and electronic trust services across government institutions and private-sector digital platforms.
According to the Commission, the legislation provides a modern legal framework that aligns Nigeria’s identity management system with global best practices, emerging technologies, and the demands of an increasingly digital economy. It also empowers NIMC to facilitate secure, seamless, and interoperable data exchange between public and private organisations, laying the foundation for a trusted digital ecosystem.
NIMC said the law supports President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda by accelerating digital transformation, strengthening national security, expanding financial and social inclusion, improving public service delivery, and promoting innovation as Nigeria works toward its long-term economic development goals.
The Commission explained that the previous NIMC Act of 2007 had become inadequate for addressing modern challenges such as electronic commerce, data protection, and cybersecurity. The new legislation is intended to modernise the country’s identity management framework while strengthening digital trust and positioning Nigeria to take advantage of opportunities in the global digital economy.
The Act introduces stronger safeguards for personal data and formally recognises both physical and digital identity credentials linked to the National Identification Number (NIN). It also establishes a General Multipurpose Card for identity verification, provides special identity measures for vulnerable populations, imposes tougher penalties for identity theft, impersonation, and multiple registrations, and reinforces the “One Person, One Identity” principle as the cornerstone of Nigeria’s identity management system.
NIMC said implementation of the new law is expected to improve access to identity services for Nigerians both within the country and in the diaspora, strengthen cybersecurity, enhance identity verification processes, improve interoperability among government agencies and private organisations, reduce identity-related fraud, and promote digital innovation and ease of doing business.
The Commission assured Nigerians that implementation of the Act would be guided by transparency, inclusiveness, and professionalism. It also reaffirmed its commitment to protecting citizens’ personal data while advancing Nigeria’s digital transformation agenda, and commended President Tinubu, the National Assembly, the Ministry of Interior, development partners, and other stakeholders for their contributions to the passage of the legislation.
