President Tinubu signs NIMC Act into law, strengthening Nigeria's digital identity system
via Punch Nigeria9 min read
President Bola Tinubu has signed the National Identity Management Commission Act 2026 into law, enhancing Nigeria's digital identity framework. Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, confirmed the development. Dr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, Director-General of the NIMC, praised President Tinubu's commitment to digital transformation, stating that the new Act builds upon the 2007 NIMC Act. It establishes a modern legal framework to bolster the country's Digital Public Infrastructure, ensuring trusted digital identity and access to government and private sector services. The law reinforces the National Identification Number as a core element for identity verification, introduces innovations to address the digital environment, strengthens personal data protection, reinforces cybersecurity, and provides a legal basis for a robust National Public Key Infrastructure. It also aims to promote greater inclusion by providing legal identity access to vulnerable populations and positions NIMC as the single root of trust for all government transactions, eliminating duplicate identity investments and supporting the issuance of digital certificates.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Punch Nigeria.
Six Nigerian citizens, detained in C么te d鈥橧voire since October 2025 on allegations of economic crimes, have been released following sustained diplomatic and consular efforts by the Nigerian government. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that four individuals were freed on Monday, June 22, 2026, and the remaining two on Tuesday, June 23, 2026. The Nigerian Embassy in Abidjan engaged with Ivorian authorities, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Justice, to secure their release. The Ministry commended Ambassador Nwabiola Ezenwa and the embassy staff for their professionalism and tireless efforts, and also thanked the Government of C么te d鈥橧voire for its cooperation, attributing the positive outcome to the cordial relations between the two countries. The Federal Government of Nigeria reaffirmed its commitment to protecting Nigerians abroad and urged citizens overseas to adhere to host country laws and maintain contact with diplomatic missions for assistance.
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