The National Identity Management Commission, NIMC, says Nigeria’s newly signed National Identity Management Commission Act 2026 will strengthen the country’s electoral system, curb identity fraud and provide a more secure foundation for transparent elections through enhanced collaboration with the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
NIMC Director-General, Engr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, disclosed this on Wednesday during a courtesy visit to the INEC headquarters in Abuja, where she formally briefed the electoral commission on the far-reaching provisions of the new legislation recently assented to by President Bola Tinubu.
Coker-Odusote described the new law as a landmark reform that transforms NIMC from a custodian of identity records into Nigeria’s foundational digital authority, saying the commission is now better equipped to support government institutions, including INEC, with secure digital identity infrastructure.
“The Act has been a long time coming. For almost two decades, it underwent several reforms before it was finally assented to on June 26, 2026. It has now strengthened NIMC as an institution and firmly established the National Identification Number as Nigeria’s foundational identity,” she said.
According to her, the legislation also designates NIMC as the nation’s home for Digital Public Infrastructure, DPI, and the Root Certification Authority for Public Key Infrastructure, PKI, placing it at the centre of Nigeria’s digital trust architecture.
“With these sweeping reforms, Nigeria’s digital economy is set to be reshaped. As our sister agency, INEC, we are here to deepen collaboration because identity remains the bedrock of effective governance and credible elections. We are committed to supporting INEC in delivering fair and transparent elections for Nigerians,” she stated.
Explaining the provisions of the Act, NIMC’s Director of Strategy and Programme Office, Dr. Alvan Ikoku, said the legislation fundamentally changes the commission’s role from simply managing identity records to serving as Nigeria’s national digital trust authority.
Ikoku said the new framework establishes a legal foundation for Digital Public Infrastructure and Public Key Infrastructure, enabling secure digital transactions, trusted electronic signatures, digital identity credentials and stronger protection against cyber fraud.
He explained that the law reinforces the principle of “one person, one identity, one number,” which he said would simplify public service delivery, reduce duplication, eliminate fraud and strengthen Nigeria’s digital sovereignty.
“The Act moves NIMC from identity storage to digital trust, from record management to national digital infrastructure, and from identity verification to secure digital transactions. It gives Nigeria a sovereign digital identity and trust architecture capable of supporting national security, critical infrastructure and international digital interactions,” he said.
He added that the legislation provides stronger legal backing for digital identity systems across finance, insurance, land administration, public services and electoral management while also enhancing data privacy, regulatory autonomy and enforcement powers.
Responding, INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, described the legislation as a major milestone that would significantly improve the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral process.
He noted that identity-related challenges, including duplication, impersonation and stolen identities, have long posed threats to credible elections but expressed confidence that the new legal framework would help address such concerns.
“This new Act has transformed NIMC from merely an identity registration agency into a sovereign digital authority. It marks the next phase of Nigeria’s digital revolution and provides the foundation for a stronger electoral system,” Amupitan said.
He commended the leadership of NIMC for driving the reforms, adding that the commission’s growing database of over 136 million National Identification Numbers presents enormous opportunities for integration with INEC’s voter register.
“We can now leverage NIMC’s biometric database to continuously audit, cleanse and eliminate duplicate and underage registrations from the voters’ register. This collaboration will also simplify continuous voter registration by allowing eligible Nigerians to use their NIN for seamless verification,” he said.
Amupitan revealed that INEC had already introduced online voter registration using the National Identification Number as a key authentication requirement and pledged to deepen technical collaboration with NIMC to improve data security and electoral credibility.
“We are moving rapidly into the era of artificial intelligence, making it even more important for both institutions to strengthen protocols around identity management, cybersecurity and digital trust. This partnership will enhance public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral system and ensure a more credible voter register,” he added.
