President Tinubu Signs NIMC Act 2026, Emboldens Agency With Exclusive Mandates

President Bola Tinubu has signed the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Act, 2026 into law.

This landmark legislation marks a transformative milestone in Nigeria’s journey towards a secure, inclusive and digitally empowered nation.

The new Act repeals and replaces the NIMC Act of 2007 while establishing a modern, forward-looking legal framework that aligns Nigeria’s identity ecosystem with global best practices, emerging technologies and the demands of a rapidly evolving digital economy.

A defining feature of the new Act is the designation of NIMC as the Root Certification Authority for Nigeria’s National Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) and Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), thereby establishing the Commission as the nation’s trusted authority responsible for underpinning secure digital identity, authentication and electronic trust services across government and private-sector digital platforms.

The Act further empowers NIMC to ensure secure, interoperable and seamless data exchange among all public and private entities, laying the legal and institutional foundation for a 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 capable of driving innovation, economic growth and Nigeria’s aspiration of becoming a one-trillion-dollar economy.

A statement by the NIMC Head, Corporate Communications, Dr Kayode Adegoke, noted that nearly two decades after the 2007 Act laid the foundation for Nigeria’s National Identity System, the global digital landscape has changed dramatically.

He said that the rapid expansion of digital services, e-governance, electronic commerce, data protection requirements and evolving cybersecurity threats created an urgent need for a more robust and contemporary legal framework.

“The NIMC Act 2026 responds to these realities by modernising Nigeria’s identity management framework, strengthening digital trust, protecting citizens’ personal data, enhancing cybersecurity and positioning the country to fully harness the opportunities presented by the global digital economy”, he added.

Among key provisions of the Act include that “The Act strengthens NIMC’s role as the statutory authority responsible for the national identity management system in Nigeria.

“It firmly establishes the National Identification Number (NIN) as the country’s foundational identity credential, reinforces the principle of “One Person, One Identity,” and enables seamless identity verification and authentication across government and private-sector platforms.

“Importantly, the Act positions NIMC at the centre of Nigeria’s digital trust architecture by assigning it strategic responsibility for the National Public Key Infrastructure and Digital Public Infrastructure”, he added.