President Bola Tinubu, on Friday, June 26, assented to the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Act 2026.
In a statement issued via his verified X account (formerly Twitter), Tinubu highlighted key provisions of the Act, noting that it would position Nigeria’s identity management system to support the country’s ambition to become a $1 trillion economy.
“I have today (Friday) signed the NIMC Act 2026 into law. For nearly twenty years, Nigeria’s identity system operated under a law written for a different era. That era is over,” Tinubu said.
In July 2024, the commission said the national assembly had begun amending the NIMC Act to enhance Nigeria’s identification (ID) system.
The Director-General of the NIM, Dr Abisoye Coker-Odusote, commended Tinubu for assenting to the Act, saying the President’s commitment to digital transformation had once again positioned the country for a future driven by innovation, trust and inclusion.
Odusote added that the Act introduces critical innovations to address the realities of today’s digital environment.
The new Act repeals and replaces a nearly 20-year-old framework — NIMC Act No. 23 of 2007.
NIMC has the mandate to establish, own, operate, maintain and manage the National Identity Database in Nigeria, register persons covered by the Act, assign a Unique National Identification Number (NIN) and issue General Multi-Purpose Cards (GMPC) to those who are citizens of Nigeria as well as others legally residing within the country.
The NIMC Act 2026 is a piece of legislation that signifies a transformative milestone in Nigeria’s journey towards a secure, inclusive, and digitally empowered nation.
The new Act provides robust data protection and privacy by introducing stronger safeguards for personal data, aligned with the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA) and international best practices, ensuring that Nigerians’ personal information is processed, stored, and protected in accordance with globally accepted privacy standards.
The new law designates NIMC as the root certification authority for Nigeria’s National Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) and Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI).
It also established the Commission as the nation’s trusted authority responsible for secure digital identity, authentic;ation, and electronic trust services.
It empowers NIMC to ensure secure, interoperable, and seamless data exchange among Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), private organisations, and other authorised entities.
The new Act positions the NIMC General Multipurpose Card as a versatile identity credential for nationwide identity verification under the theme “One Card, Multiple Possibilities,” among other things.
Here are key innovations in the new Act:
1. Expanded statutory objectives
2. Modernised digital identity framework
3. Significantly enhanced penalties
4. Reconstituted governing board
5. Robust data protection and privacy
6. New investigation and enforcement powers
7. Strengthened functions and powers
8. Expanded mandatory use of NIN
9. Explicit statutory priority
Tinubu said the new law introduces stiffer sanctions against identity fraud and related offences.
“And for those who think they can exploit the system, those who forge identities, register multiple times, or steal the identities of others, hear me clearly. Penalties have been increased by up to 100 times.
“Fines of up to ₦20 million for corporate bodies. Minimum five years’ imprisonment for unauthorised access, multiple registration and impersonation,” he said.
According to Tinubu, the legislation also reconstitutes NIMC’s Governing Board, which includes representatives from 14 key government agencies.
The agencies are: Independent National Electoral Commission, Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Central Bank of Nigeria, National Population Commission and the Office of the National Security Adviser.
The President said the Act provides special measures to ensure vulnerable and underserved Nigerians are enrolled in the national identity system.
Explaining the benefits of the legislation in a post on X, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, minister of interior, said the new law establishes a modern legal framework for identity management in line with global best practices, emerging technologies, and Nigeria’s expanding digital economy.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio described the legislation as a landmark reform that would improve national planning, infrastructure development, border management, and security.
“We wanted legislation that would outlive us and serve generations of Nigerians because digital identity is central to national development,” he said.
Akpabio said the national assembly subjected the bill to extensive legislative scrutiny, including public hearings and international benchmarking, before its passage.
