President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has signed the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Act 2026 into law, ushering in what he described as a modern, secure and inclusive digital identity framework designed to support Nigeria’s growing digital economy.
Announcing the development in a press statement he personally signed, the President said the new legislation replaces the legal framework that had governed Nigeria’s identity management system for nearly two decades, noting that the previous law was no longer adequate for the country’s current digital aspirations.
According to Tinubu, the new Act positions the National Identity Management Commission at the centre of Nigeria’s Digital Public Infrastructure and National Public Key Infrastructure, providing a trusted platform for verified identities, secure digital transactions, digital signatures and other services essential to the country’s digital economy.
He said the law also strengthens the protection of citizens’ personal data by ensuring that such information cannot be accessed indiscriminately, used beyond its original purpose or processed without consent and due legal process.
“The privacy of Nigerians must be protected, and this law makes that clear,” the President stated.
Tinubu explained that under the new legal framework, the National Identification Number (NIN) will become a stronger gateway for accessing a wide range of public and private sector services, including passport applications, voter registration, banking services, land transactions, telecommunications, pensions, insurance, tax payments, consumer credit and government services.
He reiterated the government’s commitment to ensuring that every Nigerian has a unique and trusted identity, describing the initiative as “One person. One identity. One number.”
The President disclosed that he specifically directed that the law should protect vulnerable and underserved populations, as well as Nigerians living in the Diaspora, stressing that no citizen should be denied opportunities because of the absence of a trusted identity.
Tinubu further said the Act strengthens governance within the NIMC by expanding representation on its governing board, enhancing accountability and introducing stiffer penalties for offences such as identity theft, multiple registration, unauthorised access and abuse of the national identity system.
“We will not tolerate those who forge identities, steal the identities of others, or exploit the system,” he warned.
The President commended the National Assembly, the Minister of Interior, the National Identity Management Commission, development partners and Nigerians for their contributions towards the enactment of the legislation.
He described the new law as a landmark achievement that would help build a more secure, inclusive and prosperous Nigeria while advancing the objectives of his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
