The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has enrolled more than 136 million Nigerians and legal residents into the National Identity Database as the Federal Government begins implementing a new identity management framework designed to transform Nigeria’s digital identification system.

NIMC announced the milestone on Tuesday following a stakeholder engagement with the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning on the implementation of the new NIMC Act, which replaces the 2007 legislation and places the National Identification Number (NIN) at the centre of the country’s identity ecosystem.

The development marks a major step in Nigeria’s push towards a “one person, one identity” system aimed at creating a secure and reliable identification structure for residents.

NIMC Director-General Abisoye Coker-Odusote said the commission’s priority is to ensure that all Nigerians and legal residents are captured within the national identity system as quickly as possible.

“We have successfully enrolled more than 136 million Nigerians and legal residents into the National Identity Database, and NIMC will collaborate with the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning to leverage the NIN for economic planning and national development initiatives,” Coker-Odusote said.

Under the new law, NIMC will take on expanded responsibilities, including serving as the root certificate authority for Nigeria’s digital identity infrastructure, while overseeing digital credentials, cybersecurity measures and data protection standards.

The government believes a comprehensive identity database will strengthen public service delivery, improve economic planning and expand access to digital services, including financial inclusion initiatives and social intervention programmes.

Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, described the new legislation as an important milestone towards establishing a secure and inclusive identity management system.

Bagudu said the success of the reform would depend on effective implementation and tangible benefits for citizens, while calling for stronger cooperation between federal, state and local authorities to eliminate duplicate identity databases.

“The National Identification Number should serve as Nigeria’s single, universally accepted identity standard, supporting efficient service delivery and good governance,” Bagudu said.

Nigeria’s identity reform comes amid increasing global reliance on digital identification systems to improve governance, reduce fraud and make public and private services easier to access.

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The latest NIMC milestone is expected to support broader government efforts around economic planning, population management and digital transformation, although experts have continued to emphasise the importance of protecting citizens’ personal data as the identity system expands.