The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to building a secure and trusted digital identity ecosystem, with the Federal Ministry of Education and the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) strengthening collaboration to extend trusted digital identity coverage to nearly 80 million learners across Nigeria’s education system.
The Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa, CON, gave the assurance while receiving the Director General of the National Identity Management Commission, Engr. Bisoye Coker-Odusote, and her management team during an engagement meeting on the implementation of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Act, 2026, at the Ministry’s headquarters in Abuja.
Describing the Act as a landmark in Nigeria’s digital transformation journey, Dr. Alausa said it provides the legal framework for a single trusted national identity system that will strengthen governance, improve public service delivery, enhance institutional coordination and deepen citizens’ confidence in government.
The Minister noted that the far-reaching reforms being implemented under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu are modernising governance through technology, innovation and stronger institutions. He stressed that education remains central to the Renewed Hope Agenda because it provides the skilled workforce and human capital required to achieve Nigeria’s aspiration of building a one trillion-dollar economy.
Commending NIMC for repositioning Nigeria’s identity management architecture, Dr. Alausa said trusted digital identity has become indispensable for effective governance, national planning and sustainable economic development.
He disclosed that the Ministry has successfully integrated the National Learners’ Identification Number (LIN) with the National Identification Number (NIN) through the Nigeria Education Management Information System (NEMIS), generating verified education data that supports evidence-based planning, equitable resource allocation, targeted interventions and improved learning outcomes.
According to the Minister, Nigeria’s education sector serves nearly 80 million learners across Early Childhood Care Development and Education, primary, secondary, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), and tertiary institutions, making it one of the country’s largest platforms for expanding trusted digital identity coverage.
He reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to working closely with NIMC to advance Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and Public Key Infrastructure (PKI), thereby enhancing transparency, improving service delivery and strengthening decision-making across the sector.
Earlier, the Director General of NIMC, Engr. Bisoye Coker-Odusote, said the Commission’s nationwide engagement with Ministries, Departments and Agencies is aimed at creating awareness of the reforms introduced by the NIMC Act, 2026, and strengthening institutional collaboration for its implementation.
She explained that the Act establishes NIMC as Nigeria’s foundational digital identity authority and provides the legal framework for Digital Public Infrastructure and Public Key Infrastructure, which are essential for secure digital governance and trusted electronic transactions.
According to her, over 120 million Nigerians have been enrolled into the National Identity Database, while verification services have been integrated across government institutions, financial institutions and telecommunications operators. She added that the Commission has introduced the NIMC Authentication App and the free Digital ID Card to expand access to secure digital identity services.
Also speaking, the Head of Strategy and Programme Office at NIMC, Dr. Alva Nkoku, said the Act marks Nigeria’s transition from conventional identity management to a comprehensive digital trust framework that supports secure authentication, electronic signatures, digital credentials and paperless public administration. He noted that the framework will strengthen student enrolment, scholarship administration, examination management, certificate authentication and education records management while reducing fraud, improving data integrity and enhancing confidence in digital public services.
The Federal Ministry of Education reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining collaboration with NIMC and other stakeholders to ensure the successful implementation of the NIMC Act, describing secure digital identity as a critical enabler of quality education, efficient public service delivery and national development.
Mrs. Boriowo Folasade
Director, Press and Public Relations
