The Ministry of Defence and the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) have agreed to strengthen interagency collaboration to enforce the NIMC Act 2026, aiming to leverage integrated digital identity systems to enhance national security operations and identity verification across Nigeria.
The agreement was reached during a courtesy visit by NIMC Director-General and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, and her management team to the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (Rtd), at the Ship House in Abuja on Sunday, July 26.
Speaking during the meeting, General Musa emphasized the central role of actionable data in addressing evolving security challenges. He noted that accurate identity management is essential for identifying individuals, tracking potential threats, and maintaining internal operational integrity.
”For us in the security sector, data is critical—to know who we are dealing with, who we are expecting, and even those within us, because sometimes the enemy is within. It is therefore vital for us to be able to identify everyone accurately,” Musa said, reaffirming the ministry’s commitment to supporting government institutions in executing their mandates.
Dr. Coker-Odusote stated that the visit focused on strategic frameworks for implementing the NIMC Act 2026 and integrating digital identity infrastructure into the country’s defense and intelligence architecture.
Both officials agreed to establish a secure and interoperable digital identity ecosystem designed to improve identity verification protocols, optimize defence operations, and facilitate seamless intelligence sharing among government agencies.
