The Federal Government has launched a fresh nationwide push to register over 100 million Nigerians yet to obtain their National Identification Number (NIN), as part of efforts to achieve universal digital identity coverage under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja while receiving the Director-General of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Engr. (Dr.) Abisoye Coker-Odusote, who visited to present the key provisions of the newly enacted NIMC Act 2026.
Idris said although more than 136 million Nigerians and legal residents have already been enrolled into the National Identity Database, millions remain outside the system and must be captured to ensure they benefit from government programmes.
“The 136 million already captured is very significant, but we still have about 100 million Nigerians left, and they also ought to be captured. Every Nigerian deserves to be included in our national planning,” he said.
The minister stressed that a reliable digital identity system is critical for effective governance, economic planning, financial inclusion and the successful implementation of President Tinubu’s reform agenda.
“Identity management is at the heart of the reform agenda of Mr. President because if you don’t know the number of people you have, how do you plan for them?” he asked.
Idris urged NIMC to strengthen its collaboration with the National Orientation Agency (NOA), noting that the agency’s presence in all 774 local government areas makes it the best platform for grassroots mobilisation and public awareness.
He also commended NIMC for maintaining a secure identity database without any reported data breach and pledged the support of all media platforms under the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation to drive nationwide sensitisation.
“I am happy to hear that you have not had a single data breach. Data privacy, transparency and public confidence are essential to the success of digital identity management,” he added.
Speaking earlier, NOA Director-General, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, assured NIMC of the agency’s full support in educating Nigerians, especially those in rural communities, on the importance of obtaining a National Identification Number.
On her part, NIMC Director-General, Engr. (Dr.) Abisoye Coker-Odusote, revealed that the commission has already commenced a ward-by-ward enrolment campaign across Nigeria’s 8,809 political wards in line with President Tinubu’s directive.
According to her, the exercise is aimed at ensuring that women, children, persons with disabilities, rural dwellers, refugees, legal residents and Nigerians in the diaspora are not excluded from government intervention programmes.
She explained that the newly signed NIMC Act 2026 has strengthened Nigeria’s digital identity system with new provisions on data protection, cybersecurity, digital public infrastructure and digital trust.
Coker-Odusote added that NIMC is also working with security agencies and other relevant institutions to combat identity fraud and build a safer digital economy.
Also speaking, NIMC’s Head of Corporate Communications, Dr. Kayode Adegoke, described the new law as a landmark reform that officially positions the commission as Nigeria’s sole authority for digital identity management.
He disclosed that NIMC has integrated its database with more than 250 Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) while introducing innovations that have reduced enrolment time and improved service delivery across the country.
