Nigeria’s Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, has disclosed that President Muhammadu Buhari has granted approval for certain security agencies to access the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) database directly, in line with lawful interception provisions under the Cybercrime Act.
Speaking on the sidelines of the LEAP 22 Technology Event in Saudi Arabia, Pantami stated that the approval empowers the agencies to access data without needing further clearance from the Ministry or the NIMC.
Security First, Minister Explains
Mr. Pantami emphasized that the initiative was designed to support national security efforts. “The president has given approval for them to do it without even our intervention,” he said. “So with that approval, the NCC has conveyed that through my office to all the relevant institutions.”
He added that the Ministry of Defence had earlier written to request speedy completion of the NIN-SIM linkage policy, further underscoring the strategic importance of identity data to national security.
NIMC Enrollment Sees Major Growth
Pantami also highlighted progress in NIN registration, noting that over 73 million Nigerians have now been captured in the NIMC database — a significant increase from the 40 million registered before he assumed office. “We’ve achieved over 30 million within one year,” he said.
The minister clarified that while the ministry and NIMC are not security bodies, the push for NIN-SIM integration was made in response to government priorities around security as stated in Section 14 (2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution.
