Tinubu Launches NINAuth App, Pledges Credible and Secure Digital Identity System for All Nigerians

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to establishing a credible, secure, and verifiable national identity management system, describing it as essential to Nigeria’s developmental agenda.

Speaking at the State House in Abuja on Thursday during the official launch of the NINAuth App, a digital and mobile-based identity authentication platform developed by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), the President said his administration is determined to leverage technology to promote efficiency, transparency, and accountability across all sectors of governance.

According to a statement by Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga, the President announced that all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) will soon adopt the new application for staff and data verification.

“Today’s official launch of the NIMC NINAuth App heralds a remarkable day in our nation’s digital public infrastructure journey as Africa’s largest identity database,” Tinubu declared. “This innovation marks yet another milestone in our collective pursuit of a digitally empowered Nigeria.”

Under the Renewed Hope Agenda, Tinubu emphasized that the modernization of digital infrastructure is a cornerstone of his government’s efforts to eliminate bureaucratic bottlenecks and ensure every Nigerian—regardless of location or background—has access to essential services without delay.

He stated that the NINAuth App will position Nigeria among the world’s technologically advanced nations by fostering seamless, secure, and inclusive access to services and opportunities, while ensuring the highest standards of data protection and national security.

“This way, we are simplifying access, reducing bureaucratic interference, and minimizing the gaps within which inefficiency and corruption can thrive,” the President said.

Tinubu stressed that a credible and inclusive National Identity Management System is central to achieving Nigeria’s development goals. He explained that it enhances financial inclusion, strengthens social welfare delivery, improves security architecture, and ensures accurate population data for evidence-based planning.

With the NINAuth App, he said, every Nigerian and legal resident would benefit from a unified National Identity Database, which will support social programs, boost electoral integrity, enhance healthcare access, and ensure the equitable distribution of national resources.

He urged citizens to embrace the new technology, commending NIMC for transforming identity management from a slow bureaucratic process into a dynamic, technology-driven system that aligns with international standards.

“My fellow Nigerians, the future we seek is one where technology empowers every citizen and where trust in governance is built on efficiency, transparency, and inclusiveness,” Tinubu said. “Let us all embrace this new era. Let us protect it, use it responsibly, and ensure it serves as a bridge connecting our people, our institutions, and our aspirations for a more prosperous nation.”

Also speaking at the event, Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, highlighted the vital role of secure identity management in national development. He commended President Tinubu for adopting innovative technological solutions under the Renewed Hope Agenda, noting that “every nation that desires to be efficient must first build systems that can identify, authenticate, and secure its citizens.”

“Your Excellency, you are solving tomorrow’s problem with technology,” the Minister said. “Identity is not just an administrative requirement; it is the backbone of governance, national security, and service delivery.”

Providing further insight into the new platform, NIMC Director-General, Abisoye Coker-Odusote, explained that the NINAuth App will help eliminate multiple identity records by individuals and enable real-time data authentication for government agencies and private enterprises.

“It is important that every business—whether small, medium, or large—has access to verifiable identity credentials for every citizen, just as the government does,” she noted.

Coker-Odusote revealed that NIMC has enrolled 126.7 million Nigerians in the National Identity Database, with about 25 million new registrations recorded in the past two years. The system currently handles an average of 1.3 million verification hits per day, underscoring its growing role in Nigeria’s digital transformation drive.

With the launch of the NINAuth App, the Federal Government says it is taking another decisive step toward building a digitally empowered, inclusive, and secure Nigeria, where every identity counts and every citizen matters.