The National Identity Management Commission, NIMC, has reiterated its commitment to strengthening Nigerians’ digital identity, cybersecurity and privacy safeguards under the 2026 NIMC Act.
The commission also pledged to expand access to essential services across Nigeria through an improved digital identity system.
NIMC Director of Operations, NIMC, Uche Chigbo, said this on Thursday in Abuja on the sidelines of the Digital Nigeria Conference organised by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that President Bola Tinubu signed the NIMC Act (2026) into law on June 26, 2026.
Chigbo explained that the repealed NIMC Act No. 23 of 2007 had become obsolete over the past 19 years before its replacement by the new law.
She said the new legislation would reposition NIMC and strengthen its role in Nigeria’s digital identity ecosystem.
According to her, the commission had shifted its focus beyond enrolment figures to maximising the value of digital identity.
She said that NIMC was working towards achieving universal identity coverage while ensuring that the National Identification Number (NIN) unlocked economic and social opportunities.
Chigbo said the new Act would expand the commission’s mandate to strengthen its technology architecture, particularly cybersecurity, and position it as the certification authority for public key infrastructure.
She added that the legislation would empower NIMC to play a leading role in developing Nigeria’s Digital Public Infrastructure.
She said that the Act introduced stricter sanctions for identity-related violations, particularly through collaboration with the Nigerian Data Protection Commission (NDPC).
The director said that the commission was developing identity-proofing mechanisms for people without conventional identity documents.
According to her, community chiefs or relatives could identify such individuals to facilitate their identity registration.
Chigbo added that the Act would also address challenges faced by Nigerians without permanent residential addresses to prevent their exclusion from identity registration.
Mr Babatunde Bamigboye, Head of Legal, Enforcement and Regulations at the NDPC, told NAN that it was imperative to protect personal information under the new Act.
Bamigboye said NIMC’s expanded mandate did not override individuals’ privacy rights, stressing that the law recognised the need to protect personal data.
He said possession of citizens’ identity and personal data did not give NIMC or any government agency unrestricted access to the database without a lawful basis.
According to him, access to personal information must be supported by lawful grounds, including consent, public interest and other provisions recognised under the Nigeria Data Protection Act.
He added that individuals had the right to access their personal data, correct inaccurate information and object to unauthorised access.
Bamigboye also stressed the need to protect individuals from decisions made solely through automated systems, particularly as artificial intelligence becomes increasingly integrated into public services.
He urged digital stakeholders to adopt proactive measures to ensure compliance with privacy, accountability and data protection standards.
“We want to see that such operation is proactive. We don’t have to wait until things happen before we react,” he said.
NAN
