The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and the Association of Corporate Online Editors (ACOE) have renewed calls for stronger public awareness over the new legal framework designed to transform Nigeria’s digital identity system.
At a roundtable in Abuja on Monday, stakeholders examined the implications of the NIMC Act 2026, themed “The New NIMC Act: Building Trust, Enabling Services, Transforming Nigeria.”
The forum brought together NIMC officials and online media executives to discuss the commission’s reforms, achievements and the media’s role in helping Nigerians understand the benefits of a trusted national identity system.
Representing the Director-General of NIMC, Engr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, SERVICOM Director, Florence Oloruntade described the relationship between NIMC and the online media as an important partnership, stressing that transparency should not end with the signing of the new NIMC Act 2026 but must remain a continuous obligation.
She said the media would play a crucial role in the implementation of the new law by helping Nigerians understand what has changed, as well as their rights and responsibilities under the new legal framework.
According to her, effective public communication would be particularly important in addressing misconceptions surrounding the National Identification Number (NIN), data privacy and the use of identity information.
“Misinformation about the NIN, about data privacy, about mandatory use has cost us public trust in the past,” she said.
The DG urged ACOE members and other media practitioners to provide accurate and balanced information about the new Act and its implementation, noting that public understanding would be critical to achieving the objectives of the legislation.
She said NIMC remained committed to open dialogue with ACOE and the broader media community, describing such engagement as necessary for building public confidence in the national identity system.
The DG recalled that NIMC began extensive consultations in 2024, including roundtable discussions in Abuja and Lagos, where stakeholders raised concerns about the inclusion of vulnerable Nigerians, eligibility for NIN, data ownership and the circumstances under which identity information could be disclosed.
Coker-Odusote said the NIMC Act 2026, signed into law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on June 26, repealed and replaced the 2007 Act and provided a modern legal foundation for Nigeria’s identity management system.
“The new legislation strengthens data protection, provides clearer provisions on inclusion and eligibility, and gives NIMC expanded responsibilities in secure authentication, encryption, digital signatures and electronic trust services.
“The law also provides legal backing for greater interoperability among government databases and identity systems, with potential benefits for national security and access to essential services.
“The ultimate responsibility was now to ensure that Nigerians not only know that a new identity law exists but also understand how it affects them”, the Director-General said.
The ACOE chairman, Shola Adegboye praised NIMC’s leadership and described the association’s four-year partnership with the commission as productive.
He said the media would remain essential to explaining how digital identity could improve access to public services, financial opportunities and private-sector transactions.
He cited the expansion of the National Identity Database to more than 136 million enrolments as of July 2026, alongside the launch of NINAuth, stronger digital infrastructure, improved diaspora services and nationwide enrolment efforts supported by trained Nigerian youths.
The planned migration of telecommunications operators to NINAuth, he added, would strengthen identity verification and help curb identity-related fraud.
Signed into law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on June 26, the new Act repeals the 2007 legislation and modernises the legal foundation for identity management in Nigeria.
It also positions NIMC as the Root Certification Authority for the country’s Public Key Infrastructure and Digital Public Infrastructure.
Stakeholders said the law would improve data protection and cybersecurity while supporting financial inclusion, social services, government programmes and digital transactions.
It is also expected to make enrolment more accessible to vulnerable and underserved Nigerians, including women and persons with disabilities.
Representing the Nigeria Digital ID4D Project, Mr. Seun Adebayo said the project had supported the legal reform process through diagnostic studies, stakeholder consultations, technical drafting, public hearings and international benchmarking.
He described the previous Act as inadequate for the demands of modern digital identity management.
Adebayo urged the media to move beyond simply reporting the law’s enactment and explain its practical impact—especially citizens’ stronger data protections, clearer identity rights and improved access to essential services.
With NIMC recording major enrolment gains and the new Act providing broader legal powers, stakeholders said Nigeria is moving closer to an inclusive and trusted identity system capable of connecting more citizens to the opportunities and services of a digital economy.
