Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, has said President Bola Tinubu’s sweeping digital identity reforms have repositioned Nigeria for a technology-driven economic transformation, describing the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) as a strategic institution at the heart of the country’s digital future.

Akume spoke in Abuja while receiving the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of NIMC, Engr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, and her management team following the enactment of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Act, 2026.

He said President Tinubu had demonstrated remarkable foresight by prioritising science, technology and digital innovation as key pillars of national development, adding that the administration’s reforms have transformed NIMC into a critical driver of Nigeria’s digital economy.

“When President Bola Ahmed Tinubu assumed office in 2023, he made it clear that governance would no longer be business as usual. He understood that science and technology are indispensable drivers of economic growth and national development. By revitalising NIMC, he has transformed the Commission into a formidable institution at the forefront of Nigeria’s digital economy,” Akume said.

The SGF described the President’s swift assent to the NIMC Act, 2026, as a strong demonstration of the Federal Government’s commitment to digital transformation and the strengthening of Nigeria’s digital identity ecosystem.

According to him, the new law provides a more robust legal framework for identity management while empowering the Commission to deepen digital identity services across the country.

Akume also stressed that the legislation reinforces Nigeria’s pursuit of data sovereignty, insisting the country possesses the expertise and capacity to build, manage and secure its own digital identity infrastructure without dependence on foreign systems.

“Our ultimate objective is not merely trust in our digital identity ecosystem but data sovereignty. Nigeria has the capacity to build, manage and protect its own digital infrastructure. Under the current leadership of NIMC, the country has demonstrated within a remarkably short time that it is ready to take its rightful place among leading digital economies,” he said.

The SGF further linked the Federal Government’s ongoing transition to a paperless public service to the broader digital governance reforms championed by the Tinubu administration.

He said digitising government operations would improve efficiency, accountability and service delivery while eliminating cumbersome bureaucratic processes.

“We are moving steadily towards a paperless bureaucracy. The era of offices filled with mountains of paper files is gradually becoming history. Digital processes improve efficiency, enhance productivity, strengthen accountability and enable faster service delivery. NIMC has become a critical enabler of this transformation,” he stated.

Akume also commended the leadership of NIMC Director-General, Engr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, describing her as a passionate advocate of digital transformation whose commitment has accelerated implementation of the Commission’s reform agenda.

He pledged the full support of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation for the implementation of the new law, expressing confidence that Nigeria would achieve its digital transformation goals ahead of schedule.

Earlier, Coker-Odusote described the NIMC Act, 2026, as landmark legislation that has repositioned the Commission from a database management agency to Nigeria’s foundational digital authority.

She said President Tinubu’s assent to the law, nearly two decades after the original legislation, provides the legal architecture required to build a secure, trusted and inclusive digital economy.

“The President has demonstrated exceptional leadership by assenting to the NIMC Act after almost 19 years. The Act firmly establishes NIMC as the home of Nigeria’s Digital Public Infrastructure and provides the legal framework for building a secure, trusted and inclusive digital economy,” she said.

The NIMC chief also acknowledged Akume’s leadership as Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), saying his support had been instrumental in advancing the Federal Government’s digital identity agenda.

She explained that the Act designates NIMC as Nigeria’s National Digital Trust Anchor, empowering it to establish and operate the National Root Certification Authority, issue and manage digital certificates, authenticate digital identities, support secure digital signatures and develop standards for trusted digital identity services nationwide.

According to her, the law also provides legal recognition for Public Key Infrastructure (PKI), creating a secure framework for electronic transactions across government and the private sector through identity authentication, digital signatures, encryption and stronger protection against cyber fraud, impersonation and identity theft.

“The digital economy cannot thrive without trust. Public Key Infrastructure provides the technological and governance framework that guarantees secure electronic transactions, authenticates users, protects digital services and provides legal assurance for digital signatures,” she said.

The visit culminated in a presentation on the key provisions of the NIMC Act, 2026, by the Commission’s Director of Strategic Programme Office, Dr. Alvan Ikoku.