NIMC enrolls 206,000 refugees, IDPs, 32,000 inmates into national identity database

The Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Engr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, has disclosed that the agency has enrolled over 206,000 refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs), as well as 32,000 inmates, into Nigeria’s national identity database.

 

She said the exercise is part of efforts to ensure inclusive digital identity coverage across the country.

 

Coker-Odusote made the disclosure during a presentation at ID4Africa 2026, noting that Nigeria is targeting 180 million enrolments by December 2026 as it expands its digital identity ecosystem.

 

According to her, Nigeria’s identity system has evolved significantly over the years.

 

“Nigeria’s national identity journey started as far back as 1977 under the military administration, but the establishment of NIMC through Act No. 23 of 2007 laid the legal and institutional foundation for a centralised and secure national identity database,” she said.

 

She added that the sector has moved from fragmented databases to a unified digital system designed to support governance, financial inclusion, national security, and service delivery.

 

“Over 206,000 refugees and internally displaced persons, as well as over 32,000 inmates, have been enrolled into the national identity database to ensure that no one is left behind,” she said.

 

Coker-Odusote explained that Nigeria’s identity infrastructure has evolved into a digital public ecosystem enabling interoperability, identity verification, and real-time authentication across sectors.

 

She highlighted key milestones achieved between 2007 and 2023, including the establishment of the National Identity Database, introduction of the NIN Mobile App, deployment of the Person Identification Verification Service (PIVS), and enforcement of the NIN-SIM linkage policy.

 

She said the linkage policy significantly boosted enrolment and strengthened identity verification in the telecommunications sector.

 

According to her, Nigeria had reached 127 million unique identity records by December 2025.

 

She also disclosed that over 800 mobile enrolment devices have been deployed nationwide to expand access, particularly in underserved communities.

 

Coker-Odusote added that the system currently processes about 3.3 million verification requests daily and records an average of five million new enrolments monthly, while about 2.5 million previously delayed manual records have been cleared to improve database integrity.