Tinubu Orders NIMC to Enrol Every Nigerian by End of 2026

Nigeria’s push toward a fully digitised national identity system entered a decisive phase as President Bola Tinubu directed the National Identity Management Commission to ensure that every Nigerian is enrolled in the national identity database before the end of 2026 , a mandate that places the country on one of its most ambitious data‑integration timelines yet.

ValidViewNetwork reports that NIMC Director General Abisoye Coker‑Odusote disclosed the directive during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, stressing that the President’s instruction is central to building a comprehensive identity system capable of supporting governance, planning and service delivery.

ValidViewNetwork reports that the DG said the enrolment drive is being accelerated through partnerships under the World Bank‑supported Identification for Development (ID4D) project.

“The President has given us till the end of this year to make sure that we capture every single Nigerian,” she said, explaining that private front‑end partners have been empowered to enrol citizens nationwide as part of the digital identity ecosystem.

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ValidViewNetwork reports that Coker‑Odusote emphasised that the National Identification Number remains a unique identifier designed to ensure that every individual is registered only once. She noted that Nigeria’s actual population remains uncertain, with estimates ranging from 200 million to 250 million, making a comprehensive identity database essential for national planning.

“It is estimated that we’re 200 million. When we’re done enrolling, we will then know the actual numbers that we have,” she said. “Your identity is basically the foundation for effective governance and service delivery.”

Addressing concerns about duplicate identities, the DG explained that NIMC’s upgraded biometric verification system automatically detects and invalidates multiple registrations, ValidViewNetwork reports. She said the legacy system could only flag duplicates after enrolment, but the current process prevents them at the front end.

“You would only have one identity generated for you. The other record goes into a deduplication bucket where it is invalidated,” she said, adding that fingerprints and facial recognition make it virtually impossible for individuals to maintain multiple identities.

ValidViewNetwork reports that the DG highlighted new provisions under the recently signed National Identity Management Commission Act 2026, which reinforces the “One Person, One Identity” policy. The law makes the NIN the foundational credential for accessing government and essential private services, including banking, passports, tax administration, pensions, land transactions and consumer credit.

The Act also introduces stiffer penalties for identity theft, multiple registrations and unauthorised access to personal data, while granting NIMC wider investigative powers and strengthening privacy protections.

In a country where accurate population data has long been elusive, the President’s directive marks a turning point in Nigeria’s digital governance journey. ValidViewNetwork reports that the nationwide enrolment push now stands at the intersection of technology, security and national planning — a race against time to build a unified identity system capable of supporting the country’s future.