President Bola Tinubu has signed the National Identity Management Commission Act 2026 into law, replacing the previous 2007 legislation with an updated legal framework designed to strengthen Nigeria’s digital identity system. The legislation significantly expands the powers of the National Identity Management Commission, giving it greater responsibility for digital identity management, cybersecurity, identity verification and […]
President Bola Tinubu has signed the National Identity Management Commission Act 2026 into law, replacing the previous 2007 legislation with an updated legal framework designed to strengthen Nigeria’s digital identity system.
The legislation significantly expands the powers of the National Identity Management Commission, giving it greater responsibility for digital identity management, cybersecurity, identity verification and data protection nationwide.
According to a statement issued by the commission’s Head of Corporate Communications, Kayode Adegoke, the law names the commission as the Root Certification Authority for Nigeria’s National Public Key Infrastructure and Digital Public Infrastructure.
The commission said the designation establishes it as the nation’s trusted authority for electronic authentication and secure digital identity services.
It added that the Act strengthens the implementation of the “One Person, One Identity” initiative while legally recognising physical and digital identity credentials connected to the National Identification Number.
The legislation also introduces stricter penalties for identity fraud and multiple registrations, expands privacy protections, provides special enrolment measures for vulnerable persons and enhances cooperation between public institutions and private organisations.
NIMC said the reforms are expected to improve trust, security and interoperability across Nigeria’s digital identity system while supporting the country’s broader digital transformation agenda.