The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to the full implementation of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Act 2026, declaring the National Identification Number (NIN) as Nigeria’s single, officially recognised means of identification.
Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar Bagudu, made this known on Monday during a strategic meeting with the Director-General of the National Identity Management Commission, Dr. Abisoye Odusote, in Abuja.
Bagudu described the new legislation as a landmark reform that provides a stronger legal foundation for a secure, trusted and inclusive national identity system. He said the Act is expected to strengthen governance, improve public service delivery and support evidence-based policymaking through a unified digital identity framework.
According to the minister, the success of the legislation will depend on its effective implementation and its ability to deliver meaningful benefits to Nigerians.
He called for stronger collaboration among the federal, state and local governments to eliminate multiple identity databases and establish the NIN as the country’s universally accepted form of identification.
Bagudu noted that a comprehensive national identity database would provide reliable demographic and socio-economic data, enabling better development planning, efficient resource allocation and improved service delivery across all levels of government.
He also stressed the need to prioritise data privacy, cybersecurity and robust safeguards as Nigeria continues to expand its digital identity ecosystem.
Earlier, NIMC Director-General, Dr. Abisoye Odusote, explained that the NIMC Act 2026 repeals the 2007 legislation and formally establishes the National Identification Number as the foundational identifier under the government’s “One Person, One Identity” policy.
She added that the new law also introduces stronger data protection measures and modern digital infrastructure provisions aimed at enhancing the country’s identity management system.
Comments