Tinubu Withholds Assent on NIMC Act Amendment Proposal

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has decided to withhold assent to the proposed amendment of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Act, a move that has raised significant concerns regarding Nigeria's digital identity framework. Bisi Adegbuyi has highlighted that this decision reflects deeper structural weaknesses in Nigeria's governance, particularly in establishing a reliable digital identity ecosystem.

The article emphasizes that without addressing fundamental flaws in the current identity management system, Nigeria cannot build a credible taxation system or effectively implement social intervention programs. The inability to accurately verify identities leads to issues such as ghost beneficiaries, fake addresses, and revenue leaks.

The article argues that Nigeria must embrace a new digital governance philosophy that integrates geospatial intelligence and trust infrastructure to ensure effective public service delivery and national security. The call to action is for policymakers and technologists to redesign the identity management framework to support a more robust digital economy.