President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has signed the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Act 2026 into law, introducing the biggest overhaul of Nigeria's digital identity framework in nearly two decades.

The new legislation replaces the 2007 NIMC Act and significantly expands the commission's responsibilities, positioning it at the centre of Nigeria's digital identity infrastructure as the country accelerates digital government services, financial inclusion, and online verification.

According to the National Identity Management Commission, the law establishes NIMC as Nigeria's Root Certification Authority, giving it oversight of the country's National Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) and broader Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI).

A Bigger Role for NIMC

The new Act transforms NIMC from an identity registration agency into the institution responsible for managing the trust infrastructure that underpins secure digital transactions across Nigeria.

Under the legislation, NIMC will oversee digital identity verification, electronic authentication, digital certificates, encryption services, and the trust frameworks used to secure online interactions between citizens, businesses, and government agencies.

The National Identification Number (NIN) remains Nigeria's primary identity credential, reinforcing the country's "One Person, One Identity" policy while supporting faster and more seamless verification across banking, telecommunications, healthcare, government services, and other digital platforms.

The law also formally recognises both physical and digital identity credentials, ensuring they remain linked to an individual's NIN.

Stronger Digital Identity and Data Protection

Beyond expanding NIMC's mandate, the legislation introduces stronger legal protections for digital identity and personal information.

The Act aligns Nigeria's identity framework with the Nigeria Data Protection Act and international privacy standards while introducing stricter penalties for identity-related offences, including multiple registrations, impersonation, identity theft, and fraud.

The commission says the updated framework is designed to improve cybersecurity, strengthen confidence in digital services, reduce identity fraud, and encourage greater adoption of digital transactions across both the public and private sectors.

The law also includes provisions aimed at improving inclusion by making identity registration more accessible to vulnerable and underserved populations, including people without permanent addresses.

Why It Matters

The new NIMC Act represents one of the most significant legal reforms supporting Nigeria's digital economy in recent years.

A secure and trusted digital identity system is increasingly becoming the foundation for financial services, e-government platforms, healthcare, taxation, education, and digital commerce. By expanding NIMC's role beyond identity enrolment into digital authentication and trust services, the government is laying the groundwork for more integrated digital public services.

The legislation also fulfils one of the key requirements attached to Nigeria's participation in the World Bank's $430 million Identity for Development (ID4D) programme, which supports countries in building inclusive and secure digital identity systems.

The World Bank has also increased Nigeria's NIN enrolment target from 148 million to 180 million people, underscoring the country's ambition to extend digital identity coverage nationwide.

As more government and private sector services move online, the success of the new law will depend not only on expanding enrolment but also on delivering secure, reliable, and trusted identity verification for millions of Nigerians.