Posted by Chinenye on Thu 16th Jul, 2026 - tori.ng
Nigeria’s electoral body is moving to strengthen identity checks as it prepares for future polls.
(Prof. Joash Amupitan. Photo Credit: BBC)
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has announced plans to deepen its partnership with the National Identity Management Commission, NIMC, in a bid to eliminate duplicate voter records and improve data verification ahead of upcoming elections.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, disclosed this while hosting NIMC's Director-General and Chief Executive Officer, Engr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, and her management team on a courtesy visit to INEC's headquarters in Abuja.
Amupitan reaffirmed the commission's commitment to closer collaboration with NIMC following the enactment of the National Identity Management Commission Act, 2026, describing it as a significant stride toward a more secure and transparent electoral process.
He said INEC recognises considerable potential for partnership with NIMC, especially around voter registration, data verification and tackling duplicate records.
He revealed that the commission's newly launched online Continuous Voter Registration, CVR, platform already mandates that applicants verify their identity using their National Identification Number, NIN, adding that tighter integration between the two agencies would further ease the registration process while boosting the credibility of elections.
He stressed the importance of jointly establishing safeguards and protocols to protect data integrity and security as both agencies transition from conventional technology toward artificial intelligence.
Speaking at the meeting, Coker-Odusote described the newly signed NIMC Act, which President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, signed into law on June 26, 2026, as a landmark shift for the commission after nearly twenty years of reform efforts.
She explained that the legislation transforms NIMC from a mere custodian of Nigeria's identity database into the country's foundational digital identity authority, positioning it as the home of Nigeria's Digital Public Infrastructure, DPI, and Root Public Key Infrastructure, PKI, which underpins secure digital transactions and governance.
She added that these reforms would help strengthen Nigeria's digital economy, curb fraud, ease access to public and private services, and improve electoral credibility through more robust identity verification.
She affirmed NIMC's readiness to support INEC in ensuring free, fair and transparent elections, noting that identity remains central to effective governance and credible electoral systems.
NIMC's Director of Strategy and Programme Office, Dr. Alba Nkoku, who outlined key highlights of the new Act, said the legislation repositions the commission from a conventional identity registration body into Nigeria's national digital trust anchor.
According to him, the Act creates a legal framework for digital public infrastructure, reinforces the country's digital sovereignty, encourages secure digital transactions, and introduces digital identity credentials that go beyond the traditional ID card system.
In response, Amupitan described the new law as a landmark development that broadens NIMC's mandate beyond identity registration into that of a sovereign digital authority with the capacity to reshape governance, commerce, land administration and other key sectors.
He commended Coker-Odusote for the progress achieved under her leadership, describing NIMC as a major force driving Nigeria's digital transformation, and expressed confidence that the growing partnership between INEC and NIMC would strengthen the country's digital governance framework and boost public trust in future elections.