NIN Enrolment Rises to 136m as FG Rolls Out New Identity Law

• NIMC says over 12 million Nigerians have enrolled for NIN since October 2025.

• New NIMC Act 2026 positions NIN as the country’s single official identity standard.

• FG seeks stronger collaboration to eliminate multiple identity databases across government.

Nigeria’s National Identification Number (NIN) database has expanded to 136 million registered persons as the Federal Government intensifies the implementation of the newly enacted National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Act 2026.

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The National Identity Management Commission disclosed the latest enrolment figure during an engagement with the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning on the implementation of the new law.

Director-General of NIMC, Abisoye Coker-Odusote, said the milestone reflects continued progress in the government’s efforts to establish a unified and secure digital identity system for all Nigerians and legal residents.

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The latest figure represents an increase of more than 12 million registrations from the 123.9 million enrolments recorded in October 2025.

Coker-Odusote explained that the NIMC Act 2026 replaces the 2007 legislation and introduces a modern legal framework designed to strengthen Nigeria’s digital identity ecosystem.

According to her, the new law formally establishes the NIN as the country’s foundational identity credential under the Federal Government’s “one person, one identity” policy.

She added that the legislation also designates NIMC as Nigeria’s Root Certification Authority for the country’s digital infrastructure while providing stronger safeguards for data protection, cybersecurity and digital identity management.

The NIMC boss reiterated the commission’s commitment to accelerating enrolment nationwide and expanding collaboration with government institutions to ensure the NIN supports economic planning, public service delivery and national development.

Receiving the delegation, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, described the new legislation as a major step towards building a more reliable and inclusive national identity system.

He commended NIMC for driving the reforms and stressed that effective implementation of the law would be critical to achieving its objectives.

Bagudu called for greater cooperation among federal, state and local government institutions to eliminate multiple identity databases and promote wider acceptance of the NIN as Nigeria’s single national identity standard.

He said a unified identity system would improve governance, strengthen service delivery and enhance planning across sectors.

President Bola Tinubu recently signed the NIMC Act 2026 into law, replacing the previous legislation and expanding the commission’s mandate to oversee Nigeria’s digital identity infrastructure.

The law is expected to accelerate the integration of the NIN into public services, financial systems and government social intervention programmes while providing a stronger legal foundation for secure digital identity management in the country.