Tinubu sets December 2026 deadline for nationwide NIN registration
By Aboki Forex —
President Bola Tinubu has ordered the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to register every Nigerian and legal resident into the national identity database by December 2026. NIMC Director-General Abisoye Coker-Odusote disclosed this in an interview on Channels Television, describing the exercise as a major step toward strengthening governance and public planning.
Private agents to drive enrolment in remote areas
Coker-Odusote said NIMC is partnering with private enrolment agents under the World Bank-supported Identification for Development (ID4D) programme. Accredited front-end partners will register citizens on behalf of NIMC, making it easier for Nigerians in remote and underserved areas to obtain their National Identification Number (NIN). She noted that this collaboration is creating jobs while accelerating the enrolment process to meet the government's deadline.
The NIMC boss described the NIN as a unique identity assigned to each individual, ensuring that every Nigerian has only one verified identity throughout their lifetime. She added that completing the nationwide registration would provide Nigeria with a more accurate population database. Current estimates of Nigeria's population range from 200 million to 250 million, but officials believe only a comprehensive identity register can reveal the actual figure. Reliable population data is critical for national planning, budgeting, healthcare, education, security and the equitable distribution of government resources.
New biometric system blocks duplicate registrations
Coker-Odusote said NIMC has significantly upgraded its biometric verification system. Under the old system, duplicate registrations were only detected after records had been uploaded into the database. The new technology verifies applicants in real time using fingerprints and facial recognition, making multiple identities virtually impossible. If an individual attempts to register more than once, the system automatically detects the duplication, validates the genuine record and rejects the additional entry. This strengthens the integrity of Nigeria's identity database and reduces identity fraud.
NIMC Act 2026 makes NIN the primary ID
The renewed registration drive follows President Tinubu's signing of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Act 2026 into law on June 26, replacing the previous 2007 legislation. The new law reinforces the Federal Government's 'One Person, One Identity' policy and establishes the NIN as Nigeria's primary identity credential. Government agencies and private organisations will no longer maintain separate biometric databases. Instead, they will verify customers' identities directly through NIMC using secure Application Programming Interface (API) integration.
Telecommunications companies have already adopted the system, allowing facial biometrics and other personal details submitted during SIM registration to be instantly matched against the national identity database. With the new law in effect, the NIN will play a bigger role in accessing essential services, including banking, passport applications, tax administration, pensions, consumer credit, land transactions and other public and private sector services. Over 136 million Nigerians are already enrolled in the NIN system.
For the naira and Nigerian businesses, a unified identity database could reduce fraud in banking and credit markets, making it easier for lenders to verify borrowers and potentially lowering the cost of consumer credit. It also promises more efficient tax administration and service delivery, which may support long-term economic planning.