President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has signed the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Act 2026 into law, a move aimed at strengthening Nigeria's national identity system, improving security, and supporting the country's digital economy.
The signing ceremony took place at the Presidential Villa in Abuja and was attended by top government officials, including Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Benjamin Kalu, Minister of Interior Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, and NIMC Director-General Dr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote.
Speaking at the event, the Minister of Interior said the new law would enhance collaboration among government agencies through integrated identity verification systems. He disclosed that seven Boko Haram and ISWAP commanders were recently arrested at Katsina Airport while returning from the Hajj pilgrimage after security agencies matched their identity records using NIMC, Immigration, and Interpol databases.
According to Tunji-Ojo, the law will ensure that no Nigerian passport is issued without proper verification through the NIMC database, helping to combat terrorism, identity fraud, and other criminal activities.
Senate President Akpabio described the new law as a timely step toward strengthening national security, while the NIMC Director-General said it would provide Nigeria with a modern and reliable digital identity system to improve government and private sector service delivery.
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Politics