By Chinedu Anolue
No fewer than 136 million Nigerians have been enrolled into the National Identity Database of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).
The Director-General (D-G) of the commission, Abisoye Coker-Odusote, disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja, during a courtesy visit to the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning.
Coker-Odusote said that the milestone was achieved as the new NIMC Act 2026 takes effect, repealing the 2007 legislation and modernising Nigeria’s digital identity ecosystem.
She explained that under the updated framework, the National Identity Number (NIN) now served as the foundational Identifier under a “One person, One identity” policy.
She said that the NIMC had also been established as the root certificate authority for the national digital infrastructure, with new provisions for data protection, cybersecurity, and digital credentials.
The D-G reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to enrolling all Nigerians and legal residents within the shortest possible time, while expressing readiness to collaborate with the ministry on leveraging the NIN for economic planning and development initiatives.
In his remarks, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Sen. Abubakar Bagudu, described the legislation as a transformative milestone that would strengthen Nigeria’s digital identity ecosystem and accelerate national planning.
Bagudu called for stronger collaboration across all levels of government with a view to building public confidence in the system and eliminating duplication of identity databases.
“The NIN should serve as Nigeria’s single, universally accepted identity standard, supporting efficient service delivery and good governance,” he said.
The minister commended the NIMC’s leadership for securing the passage of the landmark legislation, noting that its success would ultimately be measured by effective implementation and tangible benefits delivered to citizens.
(NAN)