NIMC Emerges Nigeria’s Digital Signature Authority As ITGOV 2026 Pushes Government Digitisation

Folalumi Alaran in Abuja

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has announced that it is now Nigeria’s designated certification authority for electronic signatures and digital public infrastructure, a development expected to strengthen trust in digital transactions and accelerate the Federal Government’s drive towards a fully digitised economy.

The Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of NIMC, Engr. (Dr.) Abisoye Coker-Odusote, disclosed this on Wednesday at the ITGOV Nigeria 2026 Summit in Abuja, organised by Tranter IT in partnership with ManageEngine.

The summit brought together policymakers, technology experts, cybersecurity professionals and public sector leaders to explore the role of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) in improving governance, enhancing national security and driving economic growth.

Speaking during the event, Coker-Odusote said recent legislation has expanded NIMC’s mandate beyond identity management, empowering the Commission to serve as Nigeria’s certification authority for electronic signatures and digital trust services.

According to her, the new responsibility positions NIMC as a critical institution for securing digital transactions across government institutions and the private sector, while providing the legal and technical framework required for trusted electronic authentication.

She noted that the development would strengthen Nigeria’s cybersecurity architecture, reduce identity-related fraud and increase confidence in digital services.

Coker-Odusote stressed that a reliable digital identity system remains the foundation of effective digital governance, warning that countries without robust digital public infrastructure would continue to experience inefficiencies in public service delivery, higher operational risks within the financial system and increased exclusion of vulnerable populations from the digital economy.

She described Digital Public Infrastructure as a strategic national asset capable of transforming governance and economic activities.

According to her, the technology would reduce exclusion errors in government programmes, protect sensitive records in the education and healthcare sectors, lower compliance costs for businesses and financial institutions, curb identity theft and support security agencies in combating cybercrime, financial crimes and terrorism financing.

She added that trusted digital infrastructure would also enhance Nigeria’s attractiveness to foreign investors by creating a secure environment for digital business operations and enabling local enterprises to compete globally.

The NIMC boss called for stronger collaboration among government institutions, financial institutions, telecommunications operators, development partners, academia, civil society organisations and the private sector to build a trusted digital ecosystem.

She maintained that public confidence would remain the cornerstone of Nigeria’s digital transformation agenda.

“Our vision is a future where every resident has access to a secure, reusable digital identity credential that enables seamless financial and non-financial transactions and supports efficient delivery of public services,” she said.

Earlier, President of the Information Technology Association of Nigeria (ITAN) and Executive Chairman of Trans-IT Group, Dr. Lare Emmanuel Ayoola, said this year’s summit focused on advancing government digitisation in line with Nigeria’s digital economy agenda.

Ayoola said the adoption of digital technologies across government institutions could significantly reduce the time required to process public services, noting that transactions that currently take up to three months could be completed within a week through fully digital platforms.

He explained that increasing online interactions between citizens and government agencies would require stronger investments in cybersecurity, identity management and data protection to safeguard sensitive information.

According to him, practical cybersecurity measures such as automated patch management and identity and access management systems remain among the most effective tools for protecting government digital infrastructure against cyber threats.

Ayoola also advocated greater deployment of artificial intelligence-driven automation across public institutions, saying AI-powered systems would reduce dependence on paper-based processes, improve service delivery and enhance operational efficiency.

He added that improved data integration across ministries, departments and agencies would strengthen evidence-based planning in critical sectors including healthcare, housing, education and infrastructure development.

Also speaking, Associate Director for ManageEngine’s Africa Sales and Channel Business, Solomon Raj, said ITGOV Nigeria has continued to record increasing participation since its inception three years ago.

He disclosed that this year’s edition attracted more than 400 participants drawn from ministries, departments and government agencies, adding that the positive response has encouraged plans to replicate the initiative across other African countries.

Raj also revealed that several Nigerian public institutions have already begun deploying the company’s IT automation and digital transformation solutions to improve operational efficiency.

Also in attendance was the Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NAVY Holdings, Rear Admiral Hamza Ibrahim, who said government-owned enterprises would benefit substantially from digital technologies through faster administrative processes, improved efficiency and better service delivery.

The ITGOV Nigeria 2026 Summit forms part of ongoing efforts by public and private sector stakeholders to accelerate digital transformation, strengthen cybersecurity and build trusted digital public infrastructure capable of supporting Nigeria’s expanding digital economy.