For nearly two decades, Nigeria’s National Identity Number (NIN) has primarily served as a means of verifying identity for services such as opening bank accounts, SIM registration, and access to government programmes.
The newly signed National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Act, 2026, exclusively obtained by TechCabal, fundamentally changes that. Through nine major reforms, the law expands NIMC’s statutory responsibilities to include digital identity, Public Key Infrastructure, Digital Public Infrastructure and functions related to securing digital identities.
The new law, which began its journey on March 19, 2024, at the National Assembly, was signed into law by President Bola Tinubu on June 26, 2026. It repeals the 2007 NIMC law and introduces the most significant overhaul of Nigeria’s identity management system since NIMC was established.
“It establishes a modern, forward-looking legal framework that aligns Nigeria’s identity ecosystem with global best practices, emerging technologies and the demands of a rapidly evolving digital economy,” Kayode Adegoke, NIMC’s Head of Corporate Communications, said in a statement announcing the law.
The new law gives NIMC legal responsibility for securing digital identities, protecting sensitive personal data, managing the country’s Public Key Infrastructure (PKI), and providing legal support for Nigeria’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI).
