President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has officially signed the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Act 2026 into law, establishing a modernised digital public infrastructure to fortify national security and protect citizen data. The landmark legislation completely repeals the outdated 2007 NIMC Act, introducing a secure system built on the "One Person, One Identity" principle to drive Nigeria towards a digitally empowered economy.
Coinciding with the presidential assent at the State House in Abuja, the federal government revealed that the synchronisation of national identity networks has already facilitated a major counter-terrorism breakthrough. Security operatives recently intercepted and arrested seven high-profile Boko Haram and ISWAP commanders at the Katsina airport as they returned from the Holy Pilgrimage in Mecca.
According to a statehouse briefing, the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, attributed the operation's success directly to automated inter-agency synchronisation. “This is only possible because NIMC’s ID is already connected with the immigration database, and it’s already speaking to even the Interpol 24/7,” Tunji-Ojo stated, emphasising that the automated system swiftly closed the gaps of a previously fractured border control process.
The new framework formally designates NIMC as the ultimate Root Certification Authority for Nigeria’s National Public Key Infrastructure. NIMC Director-General Dr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote explained that the Act effectively closes a nineteen-year statutory gap. She characterised the legislation as a bold leap forward that reinforces the National Identification Number (NIN) as the absolute cornerstone of nationwide verification.
Lauding the development, Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu stated that the law reflects the legislative branch's dedication to meeting the country's evolving security realities. Kalu noted that the global community had closely monitored Nigeria’s identity retooling, which has now yielded an instrument fully fit for purpose.