The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), and the Director-General of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Engr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s anti-corruption campaign through the effective implementation of the country’s new digital identity law.

The renewed commitment was made on Friday in Abuja during a meeting between the Minister and the NIMC Director-General, where both institutions pledged closer collaboration to implement the National Identity Management Act recently signed into law by President Bola Tinubu.

Speaking at the meeting, Fagbemi described the new legislation as a critical milestone in Nigeria’s efforts to build a transparent, accountable and digitally driven governance system capable of curbing fraud, corruption and identity-related crimes.

The Attorney General explained that the law, assented to by President Tinubu on June 26, 2026, replaces the nearly 19-year-old National Identity Management Commission Act of 2007, which he said had become outdated in addressing the realities of a rapidly evolving digital ecosystem.

According to him, the new legal framework provides a more secure and efficient identity management system that will support financial services, e-government, national security and other strategic sectors while closing loopholes exploited by criminals.

Fagbemi said a credible and reliable national identity database would significantly enhance the country’s capacity to detect and prevent fraudulent activities, stressing that a robust identity infrastructure is indispensable to winning the fight against corruption.

He noted that the reforms would also boost investor confidence by assuring individuals and businesses that Nigeria possesses a secure and globally competitive identity management system.

“The new law is not just about identity management; it is about strengthening governance, promoting transparency and ensuring that those engaged in fraudulent activities have no place to hide,” he said.

The Minister urged Nigerians to embrace the reforms by enrolling and updating their records on NIMC’s digital identity platforms, describing widespread public participation as essential to the success of the initiative.

He also directed the Commission to intensify public sensitisation on the provisions of the law to address misconceptions and improve citizens’ understanding of the benefits of digital identity.

“It is not enough to commend the law. People must understand what it promises and the opportunities it provides. Those who act within the law have nothing to fear, but those involved in fraudulent activities should know that there will no longer be any hiding place,” Fagbemi stated.

The Attorney General added that the implementation of the law should be viewed as a collective national responsibility capable of strengthening accountability, improving service delivery and accelerating Nigeria’s digital transformation.

Responding, the Director-General of NIMC, Engr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, commended the Federal Ministry of Justice for its leadership in driving the legal reforms that produced the new identity management framework.

She pledged the Commission’s full support for the implementation of the Act, assuring the Minister that NIMC would continue to work closely with the Ministry in promoting institutional reforms, capacity building and public awareness.

“We want to commend the Office of the Attorney General and the Ministry of Justice for all the hard work they are doing to reshape and strengthen the future of identity management in Nigeria.
“We will continue to support the Ministry and collaborate in every way possible to ensure the successful implementation of these reforms,” Coker-Odusote said.

The strengthened partnership between the Ministry of Justice and NIMC is expected to accelerate the implementation of the new identity law, reinforce Nigeria’s anti-graft architecture and deepen the use of digital identity as a foundation for secure governance, economic growth and improved public service delivery.