President Bola Tinubu has directed the National Identity Management Commission to raise National Identification Number enrolment to 95 per cent of Nigeria’s population by December 2026, as the Federal Government intensifies efforts to strengthen the country’s digital identity infrastructure.
Tinubu gave the directive on Wednesday in Abuja during the 2026 National Identity Day celebration organised by NIMC. He was represented at the event by his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila.
The President said NIN enrolment had risen to about 142 million, compared with more than 80 million Nigerians captured in the National Identity Database when his administration assumed office more than three years ago.
He said the next priority was to close the remaining identity gap and reach 95 per cent coverage before the end of the year.
“The next target is clear: we must work towards 95 per cent coverage by December 2026,” Tinubu said.
To achieve the target, the Federal Government plans to expand enrolment at ward level, increase mobile registration initiatives and continue deploying licensed enrolment networks across the country.
Tinubu said the administration’s identity agenda went beyond increasing the number of Nigerians with NINs, stressing the importance of building an identity system that is useful, secure and responsive to citizens’ needs.
The President linked the expansion of the national identity system to the development of Nigeria’s wider digital public ecosystem, including the delivery of digital services and stronger identity verification mechanisms.
The latest figure represents a substantial increase from the more than 80 million people enrolled when the Tinubu administration took office, with the government now seeking to reach most of the remaining population within the next few months.
NIMC’s continued expansion of enrolment is expected to strengthen the foundation for Nigeria’s digital economy by making reliable identity verification more widely available to citizens and institutions.
AbdulBasit Saba is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, business, and public affairs.
