Tinubu Signs New NIMC Act
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Tinubu Signs New NIMC Act
By Alabidun Shuaib AbdulRahman
President Bola Tinubu has signed the National Identity Management Commission, NIMC Act, 2026 into law, repealing the 2007 Act and introducing a new legal framework aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s digital identity system, cybersecurity and data protection.
The NIMC disclosed this in a statement signed by its Head of Corporate Communications, Kayode Adegoke,
According to the commission, the new law establishes NIMC as Nigeria’s Root Certification Authority for the National Public Key Infrastructure and Digital Public Infrastructure, making it the country’s trusted authority for secure digital identity, authentication and electronic trust services.
The commission said the legislation aligns Nigeria’s identity management system with global best practices and emerging technologies while providing the legal framework for secure and seamless exchange of data among government institutions and private organisations.
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It added that the law would support the Federal Government’s digital transformation agenda by improving national security, expanding financial and social inclusion, enhancing public service delivery and strengthening the country’s digital economy.
Explaining the rationale for the legislation, NIMC noted that the 2007 law had become outdated due to the rapid expansion of digital services, electronic commerce, e-governance, data protection requirements and evolving cybersecurity threats.
“The Act modernises Nigeria’s identity management framework and positions the country to harness opportunities in the global digital economy,” the commission stated.
Among its key provisions, the Act reinforces the National Identification Number as Nigeria’s foundational identity credential under the “One Person, One Identity” policy and empowers the commission to facilitate identity verification across public and private sector platforms.
The law also introduces stronger safeguards for the protection of personal data in line with the Nigeria Data Protection Act and international privacy standards.
In addition, it authorises NIMC to establish and manage the country’s National Public Key Infrastructure, enabling secure digital signatures, authentication, encryption, digital certificates and identity verification services.
The commission further stated that the legislation provides for secure and interoperable data exchange among Ministries, Departments and Agencies, financial institutions and other authorised organisations to improve service delivery and cybersecurity.
Other innovations include formal recognition of both physical and digital identity credentials linked to the National Identification Number, stricter penalties for identity fraud and multiple registrations, as well as special measures to facilitate enrolment of vulnerable and underserved populations.
NIMC also said the law positions its General Multipurpose Card as a nationwide identity credential under the initiative tagged, “One Card, Multiple Possibilities.”
According to the commission, Nigerians should expect easier access to identity services, including for citizens in the diaspora, stronger protection of personal data, faster identity verification, reduced identity-related fraud and improved interoperability across government and private sector platforms.
The commission expressed appreciation to Tinubu for signing the legislation into law, describing it as the most significant reform of Nigeria’s identity management framework since the establishment of NIMC.
It also commended the leadership of the National Assembly, the Joint Committee on Identity and National Population Commission, the Minister of Interior, development partners and other stakeholders for their roles in the passage of the legislation.
NIMC said it would issue regulations and implementation guidelines to ensure the seamless execution of the provisions of the new law while engaging stakeholders to facilitate the transition to the new legal framework.
