NIMC, NITDA, OTHERS UNITE TO DRIVE DIGITAL IDENTITY REFORMS

THE National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) have forged a strategic partnership to drive the implementation of the newly enacted NIMC Act 2026 and advance President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s digital identity reform agenda.

This collaboration was solidified during a working visit by the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the NIMC, Engr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, to the NITDA headquarters, as part of ongoing efforts to build a secure, interoperable, and citizen-centric digital identity ecosystem across Nigeria.

Receiving the NIMC delegation, the Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa, commended the commission’s progress and pledged full institutional support for its expanded mandate.

“We are ready to collaborate and make available every digital infrastructure we have put in place to ensure seamless implementation, including the National Public Key Infrastructure (NPKI),” Inuwa stated.

Both government agencies agreed to deepen ties on secure data exchange, cybersecurity, Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), and digital trust frameworks.

The visit to NITDA forms part of a broader ongoing strategic engagement by the NIMC leadership with key Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).

During a similar visit to the Ministry of Youth Development, the Minister, Comrade Ayodele Olawande, expressed readiness to partner with the commission to expand digital identity access for young Nigerians, enabling them to seamlessly benefit from government socio-economic initiatives and digital opportunities.

At the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Ojo Amupitan, SAN, lauded the significant progress recorded in National Identification Number (NIN) enrolment.

He noted that the new NIMC Act provides a robust legal framework for collaborative identity management, data protection, and addressing duplicate identities within the national electoral register.

Furthermore, discussions with the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, focused on the role of trusted digital identity in promoting trade and economic growth. Oduwole emphasised the importance of the NIN in improving the ease of doing business and unlocking investment opportunities under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

In a statement confirming the engagements, the Head of Corporate Communications at NIMC, Kayode Adegoke, noted that the commission remains committed to fostering partnerships that enhance public service delivery, promote economic inclusion, strengthen national security, and accelerate the country’s digital transformation.