Monthly enrollment of 3.3 million Nigerians needed to meet 2026 National Identity Management Commission objective

In a significant stride towards modernising its identity management system, the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has upgraded the National Identity Management System (NIMS). This update aims to improve biometric processing, speed up authentication, and enhance the overall user experience.

The importance of this upgrade is underscored by the fact that the lack of digital identification in Nigeria has been a major barrier for millions of its citizens. Without a National Identity Number (NIN), individuals are excluded from accessing government aid, financial services, and participating in digital transactions.

The NIN, which functions similarly to the US Social Security Number, links demographic data with fingerprints, facial images, signatures, and eventually credit history. However, progress in NIMC has been hampered by ongoing underfunding, weak infrastructure, and a lack of political will. By June 2020, only 41.5 million Nigerians had NINs.

In an effort to address these challenges, NIMC has received support from the Nigerian government and strategic partners. This support has been instrumental in advancing NIMC's program targeting the issuance of 180 million NINs by December 2026. The focus has been on infrastructure, technology, and outreach efforts to scale up registration capacities.

In 2020, Nigeria secured up to $430 million from the World Bank, French Development Agency (AFD), and European Investment Bank (EIB) under the Identification for Development (ID4D) program. The World Bank believes Nigeria's digital identity project could set a regional benchmark for Sub-Saharan Africa.

To boost mass registrations in 2025 and 2026, NIMC plans to use an upgraded biometric server, additional enrolment centres, and collaborations with telecom companies and microfinance banks. The commission's CEO, Abisoye Coker-Odusote, mentioned that the commission has upgraded its server, making NIMC more resilient.

However, NIMC still faces challenges in maintaining public trust due to disruptions during verification upgrades and concerns about NIN leaks. Olivier Charlanes, senior vice president for Middle East and Africa at IDEMIA, stated that the new system will ensure secure and trusted identities for all Nigerians.

As of June 30, 2025, NIN registrations stood at 121 million, leaving a gap of 59 million to be filled in only 18 months. To meet this target, NIMC aims to register at least 3.3 million Nigerians every month until December 2026.

NIMC has licensed at least 134 front-end partners, including mobile network operators and microfinance banks, to broaden registration access. As of June 2025, NIMC has registered nearly one million Nigerians in the diaspora, bringing total enrolments to 1.5 million.

Despite these strides, nearly half of Nigerians, mostly women, persons with disabilities, and disadvantaged groups, still lack digital identification, according to the World Bank. The final phase of funding for NIMC depends on amending the NIMC Act to strengthen governance and promote inclusivity.

The NIMC Act was enacted in 2007 and the commission was established in 2010, replacing the Department of National Civic Registration (DNCR). The peak registration rate for NIMC was in 2021, with an average monthly enrolment of 2.19 million and a yearly registration of 26.3 million. The commission's goal is to provide a trusted identity that opens doors to opportunity and dignity for every Nigerian, regardless of their location.

Monthly enrollment of 3.3 million Nigerians needed to meet 2026 National Identity Management Commission objective