President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has signed the National Identity Management Commission, NIMC, Act 2026 into law, giving the Commission a central role in Nigeria’s data protection, digital identity and public key infrastructure.
Bayo Onanuga, the President’s spokesperson, announced on X on Friday, June 26, 2026, that Tinubu appended his signature at the State House.
The NIMC described the new law as a “transformative milestone” in Nigeria’s move towards a secure and digitally empowered nation.
–What changes with the new Act–
The NIMC Act 2026 repeals the 2007 law and replaces it with a modern framework aligned with global best practices, emerging technologies and the digital economy.
A defining feature, according to NIMC, is its designation as the Root Certification Authority for Nigeria’s National Public Key Infrastructure, PKI, and Digital Public Infrastructure, DPI.
The Commission said this makes it “the nation’s trusted authority responsible for underpinning secure digital identity, authentication, and electronic trust services across government and private-sector digital platforms.”
–Other key provisions include:–
– Robust data protection and privacy safeguards for citizens’ personal data.
– National Public Key Infrastructure, PKI, and Digital Public Infrastructure, DPI, to enable secure, interoperable data exchange.
– One person, one identity system, with the National Identification Number, NIN, firmly established for verification across public and private platforms.
– General multipurpose card, inclusivity for vulnerable groups, and stronger anti-fraud measures.
–Why it matters for Nigerians—
NIMC said the law directly advances Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda by accelerating digital transformation, strengthening national security, expanding financial and social inclusion, and supporting the development of a secure DPI to drive innovation and growth.
Nigerians can expect, the Commission added, wider and easier access to identity services including for those in the Diaspora, stronger data and privacy protection, enhanced cybersecurity, and faster, safer identity verification for transactions and public services.
“The Act strengthens NIMC’s role as the statutory authority responsible for the national identification system in the country… and positions NIMC at the centre of Nigeria’s digital trust architecture,” the agency stated.
The government said the reform is also intended to support Nigeria’s aspiration of becoming a one-trillion-dollar economy by enabling trusted, interoperable digital identity across the economy.
