Tinubu signs NIMC Act 2026 into law to boost cybersecurity, digital identity

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu on Friday 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, cybersecurity and national security architecture.

The new Act is designed to modernise identity management in line with global best practices, emerging technologies and the country’s expanding digital economy. It also positions the National Identity Management Commission as Nigeria’s root certification authority for the national public key infrastructure (PKI) and digital public infrastructure (DPI).

In a post on X, Minister of Interior, Mr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, said the legislation empowers NIMC to provide secure digital identity, authentication and electronic trust services while enabling seamless data exchange across public and private sector institutions.

According to the minister, the Act also reinforces the National Identification Number (NIN) as Nigeria’s foundational identity credential under the ‘one person, one identity’ principle.

Speaking after the signing ceremony at the State House in Abuja, Tunji-Ojo said the law would improve identity management, database harmonisation, interoperability and secure digital authentication, providing the legal foundation for Nigeria’s evolving digital and security architecture.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio described the legislation as a landmark reform that would enhance national planning, infrastructure development, border management and security. He said the National Assembly subjected the bill to rigorous legislative scrutiny, including public hearings and international benchmarking, before passing it.

“We wanted legislation that would outlive us and serve generations of Nigerians because digital identity is central to national development,” Akpabio said.

He added that integrating identity databases with security platforms had already strengthened law enforcement and would further reinforce Nigeria’s security architecture.

Also speaking, NIMC Director-General, Mr Abisoye Coker-Odusote, described the presidential assent as a historic milestone that modernises Nigeria’s identity management framework nearly two decades after the commission was established.

She said the law establishes NIMC as the Nigerian government’s trusted digital identity authority with responsibility for secure authentication, encryption, digital signatures and other trusted electronic services.

According to Coker-Odusote, the Act will strengthen cybersecurity, improve public service delivery, expand financial and digital inclusion, boost confidence in online transactions and accelerate Nigeria’s digital transformation.

She added that the commission would implement the legislation with transparency, professionalism and strict data protection standards to ensure every Nigerian benefits from a secure and inclusive digital identity ecosystem.

In July 2024, the commission disclosed that the National Assembly had commenced the process of amending the NIMC Act to strengthen Nigeria’s national identification system.