The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), in partnership with the World Bank, has launched a nationwide community-based identity enrollment initiative designed to bring National Identification Number (NIN) registration closer to millions of Nigerians previously shut out by distance, insecurity, and weak infrastructure.
The Director-General of NIMC, Engr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, revealed the initiative during a prime-time interview on ARISE News Channel in Abuja, describing it as a major shift from the traditional local government–based enrollment model to ward- and community-level outreach. The move, she said, aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises inclusion and equitable access to government services.
According to Coker-Odusote, identity is far more than an 11-digit number or a physical card. Rather, it is the foundation for participation in modern society, enabling access to banking, telecommunications, healthcare, social interventions, and other critical services. She acknowledged that for years, physical and logistical barriers have prevented millions of Nigerians from being captured in the national identity system.
“At the heart of our work is the issuance of a unique 11-digit National Identification Number to every citizen and legal resident,” she said, noting that this represents just one element of NIMC’s broader responsibilities.
She explained that the Commission’s mandate rests on five core pillars: the issuance of NINs; the development and protection of a secure national identity database; issuance of the General Multi-Purpose Card (GMPC); harmonisation of identity data across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs); and the provision of reliable authentication and verification services.
Beyond enrollment, Coker-Odusote stressed that effective verification is essential to ensuring that identity can be seamlessly used across sectors such as finance, telecommunications, healthcare and governance. She pointed out that in some parts of the country, particularly in the North-East, citizens may spend four to six hours travelling between local governments just to access enrollment centres.
“It is unacceptable for any Nigerian to be excluded from modern life simply because our system has not reached their road,” she said.
To bridge this gap, NIMC is implementing ward- and community-based enrollment following a presidential directive. The initiative is being scaled through collaboration with the World Bank’s Identification for Development (ID4D) programme, which supports vetted partners to expand enrollment within Nigeria’s digital identity ecosystem.
The NIMC boss emphasised that enrollment under the programme is entirely free, cautioning Nigerians against paying anyone for NIN registration. “No one should pay to be enrolled. Identity is a right, not a privilege to be bought,” she stated.
Beginning February 16, NIMC will roll out a six-week intensive community enrollment exercise focused on hard-to-reach and underserved populations nationwide. To ensure widespread awareness and participation, the Commission is working with the National Orientation Agency (NOA) to deploy sensitisation materials in multiple local languages.
As part of broader reforms, NIMC has also introduced the NINAuth App, a digital authentication platform that allows individuals to securely manage how their NIN is used. The app enables real-time, consent-based verification, reduces fraud, and gives users greater control over what personal information is shared, with whom, and for how long.
Coker-Odusote added that recent amendments to the NIMC Act, incorporating provisions from the Cybersecurity Bill (2015) and the Data Protection Act (2023), have strengthened Nigeria’s digital identity framework and aligned it with global best practices.
Since its establishment, NIMC has conducted more than 2.2 billion identity verifications, largely within the private sector. The Commission is now focused on empowering citizens with reusable digital credentials that simplify access to services across the economy.
As Nigeria intensifies its drive toward digital governance and inclusion, NIMC’s shift to community-based enrollment signals a decisive move to ensure that no citizen is left behind, bringing identity, and opportunity, directly to the people.
