By Joy Odor Abuja
President Bola Tinubu on Thursday unveiled a bold new chapter in Nigeria’s digital governance with the launch of the NINAuth App, a mobile-based national identity authentication platform that he described as “a game-changer for transparency, security, and national development.”
Speaking at the State House during the official rollout of the innovation developed by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), President Tinubu said the initiative represents a decisive step in building a “credible, secure, and verifiable national identity system” — a cornerstone of his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“A credible and inclusive National Identity Management System is fundamental to our development goals,” Tinubu declared. “It supports financial inclusion, strengthens social welfare delivery, enhances security, and ensures accurate data for evidence-based planning.”
The President emphasized that the new digital infrastructure would streamline access to government services, reduce bureaucratic bottlenecks, and close the loopholes where inefficiency and corruption thrive.
“With NINAuth, we are simplifying access, reducing interference, and ensuring that every Nigerian regardless of background or location can benefit from secure and seamless service delivery,” he said.
President Tinubu announced that all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) will soon adopt the new app for staff and data verification, aligning governance with the highest standards of efficiency and accountability.
He further noted that the platform would integrate Nigeria into the ranks of technologically advanced nations, offering citizens a single, verifiable digital identity that supports financial inclusion, healthcare access, and social programme delivery.
“The future we seek is one where technology empowers every citizen and where trust in governance is built on efficiency, transparency, and inclusiveness,” Tinubu stated. “Together, we are building a nation where every identity counts and every citizen matters.”
The President commended NIMC for transforming Nigeria’s identity management system from a paper-based bureaucracy into a dynamic, tech-driven operation that meets global best practices.
Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, lauded the innovation, describing it as a futuristic solution to national challenges.
“Your Excellency, you are solving tomorrow’s problem with technology,” Tunji-Ojo said. “Identity is not just an administrative requirement, it is the backbone of governance, national security, and service delivery.”
Providing further insight, NIMC Director-General, Engr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, revealed that the commission has enrolled over 126.7 million Nigerians, with more than 25 million registrations completed in the last two years.
She noted that the system now records an average of 1.3 million verification hits per day, underscoring its growing reliability and relevance.
“The NINAuth app eliminates multiple data possession by individuals while providing real-time identity verification for both government and private sector services,” she explained.
The launch of NINAuth marks another milestone in Nigeria’s quest for a digitally empowered economy, where innovation fuels governance, and identity becomes the key to unlocking inclusive growth.
Analysts say the initiative could revolutionize access to social benefits, enhance electoral integrity, and improve national planning potentially positioning Nigeria as a leader in digital public infrastructure in Africa.
