NITDA To Transfer Its Public Key Infrastructure

Nigeria’s National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has committed to transferring its Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) to the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), marking a key step in implementing the country’s newly enacted National Identity Management Commission Act 2026.

The commitment was made during a strategic meeting between the leadership of NITDA and NIMC held at NITDA’s headquarters in Abuja on 15 July. The two agencies also agreed to deepen collaboration on digital public infrastructure, cybersecurity and nationwide identity enrolment.

Speaking during the meeting, NITDA Director-General Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi said closer coordination between the two institutions is essential to delivering secure and citizen-focused digital services.

“This is about moving beyond theoretical policy into immediate, practical execution,” Abdullahi said. “Aligning regulation and infrastructure is critical to delivering reliable, citizen-centric digital services.”

The partnership follows the signing of the National Identity Management Commission Act 2026 by President Bola Tinubu on 26 June. The new legislation repeals the 2007 law and significantly expands NIMC’s role in Nigeria’s digital ecosystem.

Under the Act, NIMC has been designated as Nigeria’s Root Certification Authority, giving it responsibility for the country’s Public Key Infrastructure as well as broader digital trust services, including digital identity, authentication, encryption, digital signatures and secure data exchange.

The legislation also reinforces the National Identification Number (NIN) as the country’s foundational digital identity credential under the principle of “one person, one identity, one number.”

Public Key Infrastructure is the framework that enables secure digital communications by verifying identities and supporting trusted electronic transactions through digital certificates and encryption. By transferring its existing PKI to NIMC, NITDA is aligning government infrastructure with the new legal framework, consolidating responsibility for digital trust under a single institution.

Beyond the PKI transfer, NITDA also pledged technical and strategic support for NIMC’s nationwide identity registration campaign, which aims to expand enrolment across all 8,809 electoral wards in Nigeria.

The campaign is part of President Tinubu’s directive for every Nigerian to be enrolled in the national identity database before the end of 2026, a target that NIMC says will strengthen public service delivery, planning and financial inclusion.

The two agencies also agreed to collaborate on cybersecurity initiatives, digital trust standards and secure data exchange mechanisms as part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s digital public infrastructure.

During the visit, the NIMC delegation toured several NITDA facilities, including the agency’s Computer Emergency Readiness and Response Team (CERRT) centre and the Idea2Impact Innovation Space.

The latest agreement adds to Nigeria’s broader efforts to strengthen its digital governance framework through integrated identity systems, cybersecurity and digital infrastructure. Recent initiatives have included reforms to national identity management, data governance and digital public infrastructure as the government seeks to expand digital service delivery and improve trust in online transactions.

While the meeting establishes a clear direction for collaboration, implementation will now focus on the transfer of the Public Key Infrastructure, the nationwide identity enrolment campaign and the rollout of the new digital trust framework under the NIMC Act 2026.