Nigeria Seeks Extension for Digital Identity Project Funding

The Federal Government of Nigeria has sought a 12-month extension for the Nigeria Digital Identification for Development Project, which has a total financing of $430 million. As of October 22, 2026, approximately $196 million of this financing remains undisbursed, and the issuance of National Identification Numbers (NINs) is trailing the target by 59 million.

The proposed extension would change the project’s closing date from December 31, 2026, to December 31, 2027. This would mark the third extension since the project was approved in February 2020.

The project aims to expand access to identification services through a secure national identity system. By September 30, 2026, 121 million people had received NINs, falling short of the 180 million target.

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) must increase monthly enrollment rates from 1.5 million to 3.9 million to meet the goal. The report also noted that women and children are lagging behind their respective targets for NIN issuance.