From Victor Osula, Abuja
President Bola Tinubu has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to building a credible, secure, and verifiable national identity management system, describing it as a cornerstone for Nigeria’s sustainable development.
Speaking at the State House during the official launch of the NINAuth App, a mobile identity authentication platform developed by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Tinubu said the initiative reflects his government’s resolve to harness digital innovation to promote transparency and accountability across public institutions.
Tinubu stated, “Today’s launch of the NINAuth App marks a defining moment in our digital public infrastructure journey as Africa’s largest identity database.
“A credible and inclusive National Identity Management System is fundamental to our development goals. It supports financial inclusion, strengthens social welfare delivery, enhances security, and provides accurate population data for evidence-based planning.”
The President explained that the NINAuth App will enable Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to easily verify staff records, thereby reducing bureaucracy and curbing corruption in the public sector.
He added that the initiative would enhance social intervention programmes, strengthen electoral integrity, improve healthcare access, and ensure equitable distribution of national resources.
“We are simplifying access, reducing bureaucratic interference, and closing the gaps where inefficiency and corruption thrive,” he said.
Tinubu commended NIMC for transforming the nation’s identity management system into a modern, technology-driven process that meets global standards.
“The future we seek is one where technology empowers every citizen and trust in governance is built on efficiency, transparency, and inclusiveness,” he added.
Also speaking at the event, Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, said the innovation reflects Tinubu’s commitment to addressing governance challenges through technology.
“Every nation that seeks efficiency must first build systems capable of identifying, authenticating, and securing its citizens,” he noted.
On her part, NIMC Director-General, Dr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, said the new app will help eliminate multiple data ownership and provide real-time identity verification for individuals, businesses, and government agencies.
She disclosed that over 126.7 million Nigerians have now been enrolled in the national identity database, with 25 million new entries recorded in the past two years. The system, she added, currently handles an average of 1.3 million verification hits daily
