President Bola Tinubu has declared that Nigeria has entered a new era of digital identity management following the enactment of the new National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Act, describing it as a landmark reform that will drive the country’s digital economy and strengthen citizens’ data protection.
In a statement made available to The News Chronicle, Tinubu said the new law replaces an outdated legal framework that had governed Nigeria’s identity system for nearly two decades, positioning the country for its ambition of becoming a one-trillion-dollar economy.
According to the President, the Act places the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) at the centre of Nigeria’s Digital Public Infrastructure and National Public Key Infrastructure, providing a trusted platform for verified identities, secure transactions, digital signatures and other digital services.
Tinubu said the legislation significantly strengthens the protection of Nigerians’ personal data, stressing that citizens’ information can no longer be accessed indiscriminately, used beyond its original purpose or processed without consent and due legal process.
“The privacy of Nigerians must be protected, and this law makes that clear,” he stated.
The President added that the National Identification Number (NIN) would now serve as the primary gateway for accessing critical services, including passport applications, voter registration, banking, land transactions, telecommunications, pensions, insurance, tax payments, consumer credit and other government services.
He reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to a unified identity system under the mantra: “One person. One identity. One number.”
Tinubu said he specifically directed that the law must protect vulnerable and underserved populations, as well as Nigerians in the diaspora, insisting that no citizen should be denied opportunities because they lack a trusted identity.
The new Act also strengthens NIMC’s governance structure by expanding representation on its board, enhancing accountability and imposing stiffer penalties for identity theft, multiple registrations, unauthorised access and abuse of the identity system.
“We will not tolerate those who forge identities, steal the identities of others or exploit the system,” the President warned.
Tinubu commended the National Assembly, the Minister of Interior, NIMC, development partners and all Nigerians who contributed to the passage of the legislation.
He described the Act as another milestone under his Renewed Hope Agenda, saying it would help build a more secure, inclusive and prosperous Nigeria.
