‎By Teddy Nwanunobi

‎The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has captured no fewer than 136 million Nigerians on its national identity database.

‎The Director-General of the Commission, Abisoye Coker-Odusote, disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja, during a courtesy visit to the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning.

‎Ms Coker-Odusote said that the milestone was achieved as the new NIMC Act 2026 takes effect, repealing the 2007 legislation and modernising Nigeria’s digital identity ecosystem.

‎She explained that under the updated framework, the National Identity Number (NIN) now serves as the foundational identifier under a “One person, One identity” policy.

‎She said the NIMC had also been established as the root certificate authority for the national digital infrastructure, with new provisions for data protection, cybersecurity, and digital credentials.

‎Ms Coker-Odusote reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to enrolling all Nigerians and legal residents in the shortest possible time, while expressing readiness to collaborate with the ministry to leverage the NIN for economic planning and development initiatives.

‎Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar Bagudu, described the legislation as a transformative milestone that would strengthen Nigeria’s digital identity ecosystem and accelerate national planning.

‎Mr Bagudu called for stronger collaboration across all levels of government to build public confidence in the system and eliminate duplication of identity databases.

‎“The NIN should serve as Nigeria’s single, universally accepted identity standard, supporting efficient service delivery and good governance,” he said.

‎The minister commended the NIMC’s leadership for securing the passage of the landmark legislation, noting that its success would ultimately be measured by effective implementation and tangible benefits delivered to citizens.