Tinubu Signs NIMC Act 2026 into Law, Names Commission Nigeria’s Digital Identity Root Authority
The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has announced that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has signed the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Act, 2026 into law.
The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) in a statement by Kayode Adegoke Head corporate communications, described the legislation as a major milestone in Nigeria’s drive towards a secure, inclusive and digitally enabled economy.
The new Act repeals and replaces the NIMC Act of 2007, providing a modern legal framework designed to align Nigeria’s identity management ecosystem with global best practices, emerging technologies and the demands of a rapidly evolving digital economy.
According to the statement,the legislation designates the Commission as the Root Certification Authority for Nigeria’s National Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) and Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), making it the nation’s trusted authority for secure digital identity, authentication and electronic trust services across public and private sector platforms.
According to the Commission, the Act also empowers NIMC to ensure secure, interoperable and seamless data exchange among government institutions and private organisations, laying the legal and institutional foundation for a trusted digital economy.
NIMC said the reform supports President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda by accelerating digital transformation, strengthening national security, expanding financial and social inclusion, improving public service delivery and supporting the administration’s ambition of building a one-trillion-dollar economy.
The Commission explained that the new legislation became necessary nearly two decades after the enactment of the 2007 law, citing the rapid growth of digital services, e-governance, electronic commerce, data protection requirements and evolving cybersecurity threats.
Under the new Act, the National Identification Number (NIN) is reaffirmed as Nigeria’s foundational identity credential, reinforcing the principle of “One Person, One Identity” while enabling seamless identity verification and authentication across government and private sector platforms.
Among the major innovations introduced by the Act are stronger safeguards for personal data in line with the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA), recognition of both physical and digital identity credentials linked to the NIN, and enhanced anti fraud measures, including stiffer penalties for multiple registrations, identity theft and impersonation.
The law also positions the NIMC General Multipurpose Card as a nationwide identity credential under the theme, “One Card, Multiple Possibilities,” while introducing special provisions to facilitate the enrolment of vulnerable and underserved populations, including persons without permanent residences.
NIMC said Nigerians should expect easier access to identity services, stronger protection of personal data, enhanced cybersecurity, faster identity verification, improved interoperability across government and private sector platforms, reduced identity related fraud and greater digital and financial inclusion.
The Commission assured Nigerians that implementation of the Act would be guided by the principles of transparency, inclusivity, professionalism, innovation and citizen centred service delivery.
It also expressed appreciation to President Tinubu for signing what it described as historic legislation, saying the law strengthens Nigeria’s digital public infrastructure by establishing NIMC as the country’s Root Certification Authority for the National Public Key Infrastructure and Digital Public Infrastructure.
The Commission further commended the leadership and members of the National Assembly, the Joint Committee on Identity and National Population Commission, the Minister of the Interior, development partners, stakeholders, and Nigerians for their contributions to the passage of the legislation.
NIMC described the NIMC Act 2026 as the most significant reform of Nigeria’s identity management legal framework since the Commission’s establishment and said it would subsequently issue regulations and guidelines to ensure the effective implementation of the new law.
