President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has signed the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Act, 2026, into law, introducing a robust legal framework designed to overhaul Nigeria’s digital identity system, bolster cybersecurity, and accelerate the country’s transition to a modern digital economy.

The newly signed legislation repeals and replaces the 19-year-old NIMC Act of 2007, closing a long-standing legal gap to better align the nation’s identity management ecosystem with global best practices and emerging digital trends. A major highlight of the 2026 Act is the official designation of NIMC as the Root Certification Authority for Nigeria’s National Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) and Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI).

This elevation establishes the commission as the supreme trusted authority responsible for electronic trust services, digital signatures, encryption, and secure authentication across both public and private sector digital platforms.

Under the new statutory framework, the National Identification Number (NIN) is heavily reinforced as Nigeria’s foundational identity credential under the core principle of “One Person, One Identity.” The law empowers NIMC to enforce secure, interoperable, and seamless data exchange among Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), financial institutions, and private corporate bodies, effectively eliminating the historic duplication of identity databases and streamlining public service delivery.

Key innovations within the Act also include stronger regulatory safeguards for personal data privacy—closely aligned with the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA)—alongside advanced statutory mechanisms to counter identity theft, impersonation, and fraudulent multiple registrations.

Furthermore, the law broadens access to official identity services for marginalized and vulnerable communities, provides legal recognition for both physical and digital identity credentials, and establishes the NIMC General Multipurpose Card as a comprehensive nationwide credential under the theme “One Card, Multiple Possibilities.”