President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday said the linkage of the National Identification Number with SIM cards has drastically reduced fraud and improved national security.
President Tinubu, who was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, spoke at the 2025 National Day of Identity organized by the National Identity Management Commission in Abuja.
The President noted that identity is now more than a record, describing it as the foundation of citizenship, the gateway to opportunity, and the anchor for national security.
He added that the National Identification Number, supported by Public Key Infrastructure, has become central to Nigeria’s digital transformation, making transactions more secure and building citizens’ trust in government and private institutions.
President Tinubu said without PKI, digital interactions remain vulnerable. Without PKI, citizens cannot fully trust that their data and transactions are secure. But with PKI, Nigeria can build an ecosystem where trust is guaranteed, fraud is reduced, services are streamlined, and every citizen can engage with government and private institutions with confidence.
Commending the leadership of NIMC under Mr Abisoye Coker-Odusote, President Tinubu said the commission had enrolled over 126 million Nigerians, cleared a backlog of 2.5 million records, deployed over 800 mobile enrolment devices nationwide, and integrated with 125 partner agencies, including the Immigration Service, the Federal Inland Revenue Service, and the National Population Commission.According to him, the NIN has already become indispensable for services such as pension verification, educational loans, business registration, healthcare, tax records, elections, and social investment programmers. He said the number was not just an administrative tool but “the common key that unlocks opportunity, strengthens governance, and builds trust.”
While noting the progress made, President Tinubu stressed that his administration was determined to enforce the Mandatory Use Regulation for NIN across all sectors, insisting that the policy was vital for securing the nation, strengthening the economy, and ensuring digital inclusion.
Punch/Halima Abdulganiyu
