The implementation of Nigeria’s newly enacted National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Act has received a significant boost following the official transfer of the National Information Technology Development Agency’s (NITDA) Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) framework to NIMC, paving the way for a secure, integrated and trusted national digital identity ecosystem.
The transfer of assets, technology, and ongoing operations was formalised during a courtesy visit by the leadership of NIMC to NITDA headquarters in Abuja.
The move provides the critical security architecture required to support the country’s evolving digital identity system and strengthen identity verification, authentication, and secure digital transactions.
Speaking at the handover ceremony, the Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, described the initiative as a demonstration of the agency’s commitment to institutional collaboration in advancing national development through technology.
He noted that NITDA had invested significantly in developing foundational capabilities around Public Key Infrastructure and Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), assuring that the agency would continue to work closely with NIMC to ensure a seamless transition and sustained operation of the framework.
Public Key Infrastructure serves as the technology backbone for creating, managing, verifying, and authenticating digital identities through digital certificates. It enables trusted, encrypted communications and secure digital transactions, making it a critical component of modern digital governance.
The handover aligns with the provisions of the recently amended NIMC Act, signed into law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which seeks to harmonise identity databases across government institutions and establish the National Identification Number (NIN) as the central platform for identity verification, authentication and public service delivery.
Beyond the transfer, Inuwa reaffirmed NITDA’s broader mandate of accelerating technology adoption across Nigeria, stressing that the agency’s responsibility extends beyond regulation to supporting institutions that are driving digital transformation.
“As Nigeria’s apex IT regulator, our mission is to ensure that every Nigerian adopts and benefits from technology. We will continue to support NIMC and every institution leveraging technology to improve governance and service delivery,” he said.
According to him, NITDA remains focused on fostering collaboration, encouraging innovation and ensuring that digital solutions are inclusive, while emphasising that Digital Public Infrastructure is as critical to national economic development as physical infrastructure and must remain secure, resilient and accessible.
On her part, the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of NIMC, Engr. (Dr.) Abisoye Coker-Odusote commended NITDA for the strategic support and described the new NIMC Act as a transformational legal framework that replaces the nearly two-decade-old legislation enacted in 2007.
She explained that the new law provides the foundation for Nigeria’s transition from a traditional identity database to a comprehensive digital identity ecosystem built on interoperability, security and efficiency across government and private sector platforms.
According to Coker-Odusote, the transition will move the country beyond conventional card-based identity systems to secure digital credentials anchored on the principle of “one person, one identity,” ensuring that every Nigerian has a unique, verifiable and trusted digital identity.
She noted that the updated legislation provides the legal basis for deploying Public Key Infrastructure and other digital trust frameworks needed to secure digital interactions, adding that the migration will be implemented in carefully phased stages to protect citizens’ data and sustain public confidence.
Both agencies reaffirmed their commitment to sustained collaboration in driving Nigeria’s digital transformation agenda.
While NIMC will continue to manage the nation’s foundational identity infrastructure, NITDA will focus on ecosystem development, regulation and accelerating technology adoption, reinforcing a shared vision of a secure, inclusive and innovation-driven digital economy.