TINUBU ORDERS 95% NIN ENROLMENT BY DECEMBER

President Bola Tinubu has directed the National Identity Management Commission to raise National Identification Number enrolment to 95 per cent of the population by December 2026.

The directive represents an ambitious effort to expand Nigeria’s digital identity infrastructure and bring a significantly larger proportion of citizens and residents into the national identity system.

A comprehensive national identity system can have implications across several areas of government and private-sector activity.

At its most basic level, digital identity provides a way of establishing who an individual is.

But its importance goes beyond identification.

A reliable identity system can support access to financial services, improve the administration of social programmes and make it easier for government institutions to identify beneficiaries of public initiatives.

It can also help reduce duplication.

Where government programmes involve large numbers of beneficiaries, reliable identity information can help authorities distinguish between individuals and improve the efficiency of service delivery.

For the private sector, digital identity can also support financial and other services that require reliable verification of customers.

However, achieving 95 per cent enrolment within the stated timeframe presents major operational challenges.

Nigeria’s population is spread across urban centres, rural communities and areas where infrastructure remains limited.

For the enrolment target to be achieved, registration facilities must be accessible to people in underserved communities.

Equipment must also be available.

Connectivity is another consideration, particularly in areas where internet and telecommunications infrastructure may be limited.

The system itself must also be capable of handling enormous quantities of personal information.

This makes cybersecurity and privacy critical components of the programme.

As more Nigerians provide their personal information to the national identity system, the responsibility to protect that information becomes increasingly important.

Citizens will expect their data to be protected against unauthorised access, misuse or other forms of compromise.

The issue is therefore not only about the number of Nigerians who obtain NINs.

The broader question is whether the identity infrastructure becomes sufficiently reliable, secure and interoperable to support digital services across the country.

The success of the initiative will ultimately depend on both coverage and confidence.

People must be able to access the system, complete enrolment and trust that their information is being handled responsibly.

The 95 per cent target therefore represents a major push toward expanding Nigeria’s digital identity infrastructure.

But the long-term value of the system will depend on how effectively that infrastructure is integrated into government services and the wider digital economy.