The Director-General of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Mrs Abisoye Coker-Odusote, has said the newly enacted NIMC Act 2026 will significantly strengthen Nigeria's digital identity ecosystem by enhancing data security and equipping the commission to tackle identity-related crimes.
Coker-Odusote stated this during a courtesy visit to the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation as part of the Federal Government's campaign to sensitise public institutions on the provisions and benefits of the new legislation.
She explained that the repealed NIMC Act did not provide adequate powers for data protection, a gap that contributed to the enactment of the Nigeria Data Protection Act in 2023 and the establishment of the Nigerian Data Protection Commission (NDPC).
“It may interest you to know that the new Data Protection Act that Mr President assented to, is sorted through support with NIMC in 2021, leading to the establishment of the Data Protection Commission,” she said.
According to the NIMC chief, the new Act empowers the commission to work with security agencies to arrest and prosecute identity thieves.
“In line with this new mandate, we have recently revamped our internal enforcement structure through the Inspectorate, Compliance and Enforcement (ICE) Unit to ensure effective implementation of the Act.”
Coker-Odusote also disclosed that the commission had commenced a ward enrolment programme to expand National Identification Number (NIN) registration to all 8,809 wards across the country.
“It may interest you to know that the president has given us marching orders last year to go and kickstart the ward enrolment exercise, which we embarked upon on Feb. 16,” she said.
She noted that the initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda and is aimed at ensuring every Nigerian has access to a legal identity.
“We are rotating round all the 8809 wards, and this is why our partnership with NOA, which is also represented at the ward level, is very crucial in helping us disseminate information,” she said.
Responding, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, commended the NIMC Director-General for her leadership and the successful passage of the new legislation.
“We’ve all seen your enthusiasm to transform identity management in this country since you came on board as the DG of NIMC, and we have also seen that on the part of the NIMC team,” he said.
Idris emphasised the need for sustained public awareness of the provisions of the Act, particularly at the grassroots, and called for stronger collaboration among government agencies to maximise its impact.
He also urged NIMC to leverage the communication platforms under the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation to deepen public sensitisation.
“We have all the public information platforms in this country under this ministry, including the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), and I want to assure you that these platforms will be available to support your sensitisation objectives,” he said.
The minister added that transparency in public service delivery depends largely on effective dissemination of information through credible communication channels.
Also speaking, the Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Malam Lanre Issa-Onilu, highlighted the existing partnership between the agency and NIMC and pledged continued support for the commission's nationwide enrolment drive.
“I hope you can come forward to see how we can achieve tha,t as we are present in those areas you want to go and do your sensitisation and enlightenment,” he said.
Issa-Onilu observed that many people in rural communities still have a limited understanding of the provisions of the new NIMC Act and stressed the need for sustained grassroots awareness campaigns to ensure Nigerians fully understand the benefits of the legislation.
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