The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has called for sustained collaboration with the media to improve public awareness and understanding of the National Identity Management Commission Act 2026.
The commission made the call at its seventh roundtable engagement with the Association of Corporate Online Editors (ACOE), held Monday in Abuja, with the theme, “The New NIMC Act: Building Trust, Enabling Services, Transforming Nigeria.”
Representing the NIMC Director-General, Engr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, the Director of SERVICOM, Mrs. Florence Oloruntade, said effective engagement with the media was essential to ensuring transparency and building public confidence in the country’s identity management system.
Oloruntade said the passage of the new Act should mark the beginning of sustained communication rather than the end of stakeholder engagement.
She noted that journalists and online media platforms had an important responsibility in explaining the provisions of the new law to Nigerians, particularly changes affecting identity registration, data protection, NIN usage and citizens’ responsibilities.
She expressed concern that misinformation on issues relating to NIN and data privacy had previously affected public trust in the identity management system.
“Misinformation about the NIN, about data privacy, about mandatory use has cost us public trust in the past,” she said.
The NIMC director urged ACOE members and other media professionals to provide balanced and factual reports on the implementation of the new Act, stressing that accurate information would help Nigerians make informed decisions and better understand the reforms.
She said NIMC would continue to engage with ACOE and other media organisations through dialogue and knowledge-sharing platforms as part of efforts to strengthen confidence in the national identity ecosystem.
Oloruntade recalled that the commission began extensive consultations with stakeholders in 2024, including roundtable meetings in Abuja and Lagos.
She said the consultations provided opportunities for stakeholders to raise concerns relating to vulnerable populations, NIN eligibility, ownership of identity data and conditions governing the disclosure of personal information.
According to her, the NIMC Act 2026, signed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on June 26, repealed the 2007 Act and introduced a modern legal framework for national identity management.
She explained that the new legislation provides stronger data protection measures and clearer provisions on inclusion and eligibility, while expanding NIMC’s responsibilities in areas such as secure authentication, encryption, digital signatures and electronic trust services.
The Act, she added, also strengthens the legal basis for interoperability between government databases and identity systems, which could enhance national security and improve citizens’ access to essential services.
Oloruntade said the success of the new identity framework would ultimately depend on Nigerians understanding how the law affects them and the services available to them.
She therefore urged the media to remain active partners in communicating the reforms and promoting greater public understanding of Nigeria’s evolving digital identity system.