Security Breakthrough: President Tinubu Assents to NIMC Act 2026 as Databases Unmask Terrorist Suspects

The executive assent came with immediate real-world validation. The Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, revealed that the newly harmonized network of identity databases has already been successfully utilized by security agencies to intercept and arrest several suspected terrorists returning to the country from the Holy Pilgrimage.

“For 19 years, the legal framework governing Nigeria’s identity management system remained unchanged while the digital landscape evolved rapidly,” stated NIMC Director-General Dr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote. “Today, that gap has been closed.”

The new law solidifies the National Identification Number (NIN) as the absolute cornerstone for all legal identity verifications nationwide, systematically linking it with passport issuance and driver’s permits to curb identity theft, financial crimes, and cross-border terrorism.