The National Identity Management Commission NIMC, has officially unveiled its new enabling legislation, the NIMC Act 2026, which embodies a new set of mandates, thus transforming the Commission from the erstwhile mere identity management body to a more inclusive and all-embracing National Trust Authority for the Nigerian nation.

Signed into law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on June 26, 2026, the new Act replaces the old NIMC Act 2007, which provisions have become out of tune with the dynamics of a digitally changing global economy, thus ending 19 years of the country’s faulty legal framework regulating her emerging digital identity management ecosystem.

A major feature of the new legislation is that it strengthens and emboldens NIMC with the mandate as a foundational identity and data exchange agency and basically transforms the Commission from its former mere identity management body to a more digitally oriented National Trust Authority for Nigeria.

Speaking with members of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers GOCOP, in Lagos, Friday, August 28, 2026, during a Roundtable Workshop with the theme: The New NIMC Act: “Building Trust, Enabling Services, Transforming Nigeria”, Director General/CEO of the Commission, Engr. Dr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, noted that the NIMC Act of 2007 established the Commission and gave it its initial legal mandate.

“But the Nigeria of 2026 is not the Nigeria of 2007, because there have been rapid technological shifts, evolving security threats, and growing demands for data privacy, which have rendered the legacy law NIMC Act 2007) obsolete, the DG/CEO said.

Represented by the Director in charge of SERVICOM at the Commission, Mrs. Florence Oloruntade, Engr. Coker-Odusote described the new legislation as a transformative legal framework, which has become a turning point for all citizens of Nigeria.

According to her, following extensive consultations with civil society, telecom operators, financial institutions, the World Bank-supported ID4D project, and the National Assembly, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu signed the NIMC Act 2026 into law on June 26, 2026.

“This historic presidential assent repeals the 2007 Act and establishes NIMC as the country’s central authority for digital public infrastructure”, the DG/CEO further said.

Meanwhile, the Commission’s Director in charge of Research and Strategy, Dr. Alvan Ikoku Jnr., who took the media practitioners through the rudiments and provisions of the new legislation, noted that it saddles the Commission with the responsibility of overseeing the country’s Digital Trust Infrastructure, describing it as a huge and sensitive responsibility.

He further noted that the Digital Trust Infrastructure under the new dispensation, provides the backbone for effective identity management.

“In addition to transforming the Commission from a mere identity management agency to a National Trust Authority, the new legislation further saddles the Commission with the mandate of being Nigeria’s Rule Certification Authority.

“The Digital Public Infrastructure rests on three pillars, which include-digital identity management, payment systems and trust, as well as data exchange”, the Director said.

He expressed confidence that the new legislation portends stronger enforcement, as it emboldens the Commission to carry out its statutory mandates under the NIMC Act 2026.

While fielding questions on the possible challenges that could arise due to the enlarged mandate, especially in terms of funding and human capital, Dr. Ikoku disclosed that the Commission being a proactive and future-driven organisation, especially under the current CEO, has already come up with a roadmap 2026-2031, which provides the framework for issues that could arise as a result of the new status and functions of the Commission.

He further disclosed that total National Identity Number NIN, has hit about 140 million, large chunk of which was achieved between 2025-2026, while the duration of enrolment procedure has reduced from seven days to one hour, assuring that the management of the Commission is on top of its game.

The Director, SERVICOM, who also addressed the media operators on efforts of the Commission to improve service delivery, disclosed that new systems including laptops have been procured for members of staff as well as some front end partners to speed up operations.

She also disclosed that various training and capacity building programmes are already in progress to bring the staffers up to speed even as efforts are on top gear to improve welfare, as the Salaries and Wage Commission has just approved a 25per cent increment in salaries and other emoluments across board.