President Bola Tinubu has signed the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Act 2026 into law, introducing sweeping reforms aimed at modernising Nigeria’s digital identity framework and strengthening cybersecurity.
The President signed the legislation at the State House on Friday, according to a brief statement by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
In a separate statement, the NIMC described the new law as a landmark achievement that will accelerate Nigeria’s transition to a secure, inclusive and digital-driven economy.
According to the commission, the legislation repeals the NIMC Act of 2007 and replaces it with a modern legal framework designed to align Nigeria’s identity management ecosystem with global best practices, emerging technologies and the evolving demands of the digital economy.
A major provision of the Act designates NIMC as the Root Certification Authority for Nigeria’s National Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) and Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI).
The commission said this role establishes it as the country’s trusted authority for secure digital identity, authentication and electronic trust services across both government and private-sector platforms.
The Act also empowers the commission to facilitate secure, interoperable and seamless exchange of identity data among public institutions and private organisations, creating a stronger legal foundation for a trusted digital economy.
NIMC said the legislation supports the Tinubu administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda by driving digital transformation, enhancing national security, expanding financial and social inclusion, improving public service delivery and strengthening the country’s Digital Public Infrastructure.
It added that the law responds to the rapid growth of digital services and evolving cybersecurity threats by updating Nigeria’s identity management framework, improving digital trust, safeguarding citizens’ personal information and positioning the country to take advantage of opportunities in the global digital economy.
Under the new law, NIMC’s mandate as the statutory authority responsible for the national identity system is further reinforced.
The Act also strengthens the principle of “one person, one identity” by firmly establishing the National Identification Number (NIN) as the foundation for identity verification and authentication across government agencies and private-sector platforms.
In addition, the legislation places NIMC at the centre of Nigeria’s digital trust architecture by assigning it strategic responsibility for managing the National PKI and the DPI.
The commission highlighted several other key provisions of the Act, including stronger data protection and privacy safeguards, enhanced digital identity interoperability, the introduction of a general multipurpose identity card, improved inclusion for vulnerable groups and tougher measures to combat identity fraud.
NIMC said implementation of the law is expected to create a secure and interoperable digital identity ecosystem that will simplify access to public and private services while strengthening trust in electronic transactions.
The agency said Nigerians, including those living abroad, would benefit from easier access to identity services, stronger protection of personal data, improved cybersecurity, more reliable digital authentication and faster, safer identity verification processes.
According to the commission, the legislation provides a stronger legal foundation for Nigeria’s DPI by making NIMC the Root Certification Authority for both the National PKI and the DPI.
It added that the reform would enhance the protection of citizens’ data, improve cybersecurity, enable secure data exchange across government and private-sector platforms, expand access to essential services and support the federal government’s ambition of building a one-trillion-dollar economy.
