Electoral commission says new NIMC Act will enhance digital identity verification and boost the credibility of Nigeria’s elections

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reaffirmed its commitment to deepening collaboration with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), describing the newly enacted NIMC Act, 2026, as a significant step towards strengthening digital identity verification and enhancing the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral process.

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The renewed INEC NIMC Partnership was announced on Wednesday when the INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN), received the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of NIMC, Engr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, and members of her management team during a courtesy visit to the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.

According to a statement issued by INEC, the engagement focused on expanding cooperation between the two agencies following the enactment of the National Identity Management Commission Act, 2026, which significantly strengthens NIMC’s role within Nigeria’s digital governance framework.

Welcoming the NIMC delegation, Amupitan said closer institutional collaboration would improve identity verification processes, reduce opportunities for electoral fraud and support the conduct of credible elections.

“Closer cooperation between the two agencies would improve identity verification processes, reduce electoral fraud and support the conduct of free, fair and transparent elections,” he said.

Nigeria has increasingly relied on technology to strengthen the credibility of elections through innovations such as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV).

Digital identity verification has also become an important component of broader electoral reforms designed to improve transparency, minimise multiple registrations and enhance public confidence in election outcomes.

Speaking during the visit, Coker-Odusote described the National Identity Management Commission Act, 2026, signed into law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on June 26, 2026, as the most far-reaching reform of Nigeria’s identity management architecture since the commission was established.

“The newly enacted NIMC Act, signed into law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, on June 26, 2026, marks a historic transformation of the Commission after nearly two decades of reforms,” she said.

“The new law elevates NIMC from being merely a custodian of Nigeria’s identity database to the nation’s foundational digital identity authority, making it the home of Nigeria’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and Root Public Key Infrastructure (PKI), which provides the digital trust framework for secure transactions and governance.”

Coker-Odusote said the reforms would strengthen Nigeria’s digital economy by improving identity authentication, reducing fraud and making it easier for citizens to access both public and private sector services.

She added that the enhanced identity infrastructure would also reinforce the credibility of Nigeria’s elections by providing more reliable mechanisms for verifying the identities of eligible voters.

“NIMC is ready to support INEC in delivering free, fair and transparent elections because identity remains the foundation of effective governance and credible electoral processes,” she said.

The collaboration reflects the Federal Government’s broader drive to modernise public institutions through integrated digital systems capable of improving governance, service delivery and institutional efficiency.

Analysts have long argued that stronger integration between Nigeria’s identity management and electoral systems could help improve voter registration, strengthen authentication processes and reduce the risk of identity-related electoral malpractice while maintaining the integrity of citizens’ personal data.

The latest engagement also builds on ongoing reforms aimed at expanding digital governance across government institutions, with authorities increasingly positioning secure digital identity as the foundation for trusted public services, financial inclusion and democratic participation.

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Both agencies expressed confidence that closer collaboration under the new legal framework would contribute to more transparent elections and strengthen public trust in Nigeria’s electoral system as preparations for future polls continue.