The Federal Ministry of Education has intensified efforts to integrate digital identity into Nigeria’s education system, with plans to extend trusted identity coverage to nearly 80 million learners nationwide through closer collaboration with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).
Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa, said the initiative would improve education planning, strengthen data integrity and support evidence-based policymaking, while also contributing to the country’s broader digital transformation agenda.
Speaking during an enlightenment and stakeholder engagement session on the newly enacted National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Act, 2026, held during a visit by NIMC Director-General, Engr. Bisoye Coker-Odusote, and her management team, Alausa described a reliable national identity system as essential for effective governance, quality education and sustainable economic growth.
According to the minister, the Federal Government’s ongoing reforms are leveraging technology to improve transparency, institutional efficiency and public service delivery across sectors.
Dr. Alausa said the far-reaching reforms being implemented under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu are transforming every sector of the Nigerian economy through innovation, technology and institutional strengthening. He noted that education remains central to the President’s 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.
The minister further stated that technology-driven governance was already yielding positive results through more transparent and accountable systems, adding that the Ministry of Education had continued to receive the necessary support to implement wide-ranging reforms.
He also commended NIMC for modernising Nigeria’s identity management framework, noting that the newly enacted NIMC Act would strengthen public institutions, improve service delivery and enhance citizens’ access to government services.
Alausa disclosed that the ministry had made significant progress in linking the National Learners’ Identification Number (LIN) with the National Identification Number (NIN) through the Nigeria Education Management Information System (NEMIS).
He said the integration was generating credible, biometrically verified education data to guide planning, resource allocation, targeted interventions and improved learning outcomes.
The minister added that with about 80 million learners enrolled across early childhood, primary, secondary, technical, vocational and tertiary institutions, the education sector provides one of the country’s largest platforms for expanding Nigeria’s trusted digital identity ecosystem.
Earlier, NIMC Director-General, Engr. Bisoye Coker-Odusote, said the Commission’s nationwide engagement with Ministries, Departments and Agencies was aimed at creating awareness of the reforms introduced by the NIMC Act, 2026, and strengthening institutional collaboration for its implementation.
She explained that the legislation establishes NIMC as Nigeria’s foundational digital identity authority and provides the legal framework for Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and Public Key Infrastructure (PKI), which are required for secure digital governance and trusted electronic transactions.
According to her, more than 120 million Nigerians have already been enrolled into the national identity database, while NIMC has integrated its verification services with government agencies, financial institutions and telecommunications operators. She added that the Commission had also introduced the NIMC Authentication App and a free Digital ID Card for Nigerians.
Also speaking, the Head of Strategy and Programme Office at NIMC, Dr. Alva Nkoku, said the new law marks Nigeria’s transition from conventional identity management to a comprehensive digital trust framework capable of supporting secure authentication, digital signatures, trusted electronic credentials and paperless public administration.
He said the framework would strengthen education service delivery through secure student enrolment, scholarship administration, examination management and certificate authentication, while reducing fraud and improving data integrity.
In her closing remarks, Coker-Odusote commended the Education Ministry for embracing innovation and reaffirmed NIMC’s commitment to sustaining collaboration to ensure the education sector fully benefits from Nigeria’s evolving digital identity ecosystem.
Responding, Alausa assured the Commission of the ministry’s continued support in implementing the provisions of the NIMC Act across the education sector to promote transparency, improve education delivery and advance the Federal Government’s digital transformation agenda.
