National Identity Management Commission says it has enrolled more than 136 million Nigerians and legal residents into the National Identity Database (NIDB) as part of efforts to strengthen the country’s digital identity ecosystem.
The Director-General of NIMC, Abisoye Coker-Odusote, disclosed this during a courtesy visit by the commission to the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning in Abuja on Tuesday.
The visit forms part of ongoing stakeholder engagements with Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) on the implementation of the new NIMC Act.
Coker-Odusote presented the new Act, which repeals and replaces the 2007 legislation governing identity management in Nigeria.
According to her, the new legal framework modernises the country’s digital identity ecosystem by positioning the National Identification Number (NIN) as the foundational identity under the “one person, one identity” policy.
She said the Act also establishes NIMC as the root certificate authority for Nigeria’s national digital infrastructure while introducing stronger data protection, cybersecurity measures and digital identity credentials.
The director-general reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to enrolling all Nigerians and legal residents into the National Identity Database and issuing National Identification Numbers (NINs) within the shortest possible time.
She expressed the commission’s readiness to collaborate with the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning in leveraging the NIN to support economic planning and national development initiatives.
Coker-Odusote also appreciated the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, for his support toward advancing the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.
In his remarks, Bagudu reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to the effective implementation of the NIMC Act 2026.
He described the legislation as a major milestone that would strengthen Nigeria’s digital identity ecosystem and enhance national planning and development.
The minister commended the leadership of NIMC for facilitating the passage of the Act, noting that it provides a solid legal foundation for a secure, trusted and inclusive national identity management system.
According to him, the success of the legislation will ultimately depend on its implementation and the benefits it delivers to Nigerians.
Bagudu called for stronger collaboration among the federal, state and local governments to build public confidence in the national identity system and eliminate duplication of identity databases across government institutions.
“The National Identification Number should serve as Nigeria’s single, universally accepted identity standard, supporting efficient service delivery and good governance,” he said.
