The federal government has launched a new mobile application designed to create a unified and secure identity management system for the country.
President Bola Tinubu formally introduced the NINAUTH APP, developed by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), during a ceremony at the State House on Thursday.
He stated that the innovation is a cornerstone of his administration’s development agenda.
“Under the Renewed Hope Agenda, our administration is committed to leveraging technology to enhance efficiency, transparency, and accountability in governance,” President Tinubu said.
He explained that the application is intended to modernise Nigeria’s digital infrastructure to ensure every citizen has access to services “without the frustration of bureaucratic delays.”
The President described the launch as a “remarkable day in our nation’s digital public infrastructure journey,” positioning Nigeria’s identity database as the largest in Africa. He emphasised that a reliable identity system is critical for national progress.
“A credible and inclusive National Identity Management System is fundamental to our national development goals,” President Tinubu stated. “It supports financial inclusion, strengthens social welfare delivery, enhances our security architecture, and ensures accurate population data for evidence-based planning.”
The new app is expected to be adopted by all government ministries, departments, and agencies for staff and data verification. The President said this move will help simplify access to services and reduce opportunities for corruption.
“This way, we are simplifying access, reducing bureaucratic interference, and reducing the gaps within which inefficiency and corruption can thrive,” he said.
He also assured the public that the system maintains “the highest standards of data protection and national security,” and will place Nigeria on par with other technologically advanced nations.
The Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, echoed the President’s sentiments, linking a secure identity to effective governance and security.
“Your excellency, you are solving tomorrow’s problem with technology,” the Minister said. “Identity is not just an administrative requirement; it is the backbone of governance, national security, and service delivery.”
Explaining the application’s function, the Director General of the NIMC, Engr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, said the NINAuth app would provide real-time authentication for businesses and government services while eliminating the problem of individuals holding multiple identity records.
“It is important that every single business or enterprise in this country, whether it’s a small, medium, or large enterprise, can have access to verifiable identity credentials of every single citizen in Nigeria and the same for the government,” she stated.
She provided updated enrolment figures, revealing that the NIMC has now registered 126,717,316 individuals, with approximately 25 million of those registered in the last two years. The system currently handles an average of 1.3 million verification requests per day.
Concluding his remarks, President Tinubu called on all Nigerians to embrace the new system, framing it as a vital tool for building a more transparent and inclusive nation.
“Let us all embrace this new era,” he said. “Together, we are building a nation where every identity counts and every citizen must matter.”
Discussion about this post