President Bola Tinubu has assented to the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Act, 2026, replacing the 2007 law with a new legal framework aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s digital identity system, data protection and electronic trust services.
The new Act is expected to enhance the country’s digital identity ecosystem by improving identity management, securing personal data and promoting interoperability across government and private sector platforms.
According to a statement, the legislation aligns Nigeria’s identity management framework with the provisions of the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA) and international best practices on privacy and data protection.
The Act introduces stronger safeguards for the collection, processing, storage and protection of citizens’ personal information.
It also designates the National Identity Management Commission as Nigeria’s root certification authority for the National Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) and Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI).
The designation empowers the commission to provide secure digital identity, authentication and electronic trust services across the country.
The Act further authorises NIMC to facilitate secure and interoperable data exchange among Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), private organisations and other authorised entities.
It also provides for the deployment of the NIMC General Multipurpose Card as a unified identity credential for nationwide identity verification under the initiative tagged “One Card, Multiple Possibilities.”
The Federal Government said the implementation of the law would create a trusted, secure and interoperable digital identity ecosystem capable of improving access to services in both the public and private sectors.
It added that Nigerians, including those living in the diaspora, would benefit from easier access to identity services, stronger protection of personal data, enhanced cybersecurity and more secure digital transactions.
The government also said the law would provide a stronger foundation for digital governance, economic growth and long-term national development by enabling faster and more reliable identity verification and authentication processes.
