Tinubu Directs NIMC to Enroll All Nigerians by 2026

President Bola Tinubu has ordered the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to enroll every Nigerian into a national identity database by the end of 2026. Abisoy Coker Odusot, the Director General and Chief Executive Officer of NIMC, announced this during an interview on Channels Television's Sunday Politics.

The initiative is part of the federal government's plan to build a comprehensive national identity system, which will support service delivery across various sectors. The NIMC will collaborate with the World Bank on the ID4D project to accelerate nationwide enrollment.

Coker Odusot emphasized the importance of a unique identification number for each individual, which will help in accurately determining Nigeria's population, currently estimated to be between 200 million and 250 million. The new system will include biometric verification to prevent multiple registrations.

The President signed the NIMC Act 2026 into law on June 26, repealing the 2007 legislation and reinforcing the national identity policy.