The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has called for stronger collaboration with the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) to promote nationwide awareness of the National Identity Number (NIN) registration exercise through responsible journalism and accurate information dissemination.
The Management Champion of the NIMC office in Ibadan Mr Oluwafemi Aniye made the appeal while leading the Management team of the commission on a courtesy visit to the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Oyo State Council, Mr. Akeem Abas, at the Press Centre, Iyaganku in Ibadan.
Mr. Aniye described NIMC as a strategic Federal Government agency established to create and manage a comprehensive national identity database for all Nigerians and legal residents, ensuring that citizens can be properly identified anywhere in the world.
He explained that the commission was established under the NIMC Act of 2007, adding that the law was recently reviewed through the NIMC Act 2026 to further strengthen the country’s identity management framework.
According to him, the 2026 Act has positioned NIMC as the nation’s Root Certification Authority, a development aimed at enhancing digital identity management, authentication and secure verification of citizens’ identities.
The NIMC Management Champion, stressed the importance of public enlightenment in achieving the commission’s mandate, noting that the media remains a critical partner in educating Nigerians on the benefits of obtaining the National Identity Number (NIN).
He disclosed that, based on population figures available through collaboration with the National Population Commission (NPC), Oyo State has an estimated population of about nine million people, while over five million residents have so far been enrolled into the NIMC database.
The NIMC representative therefore appealed to the NUJ to support the commission’s advocacy campaign by ensuring accurate, factual and sustained dissemination of information capable of encouraging more residents to register for the National Identity Number.
Responding, the Chairman of the NUJ, Oyo State Council, Mr. Akeem the NIMC delegation and expressed appreciation for the commission’s decision to partner with the union in advancing public awareness.
Mr. Abas reaffirmed the commitment of the Oyo NUJ to professionalism, ethical journalism and compliance with legal standards in the discharge of its responsibilities.
He assured the commission of the union’s readiness to collaborate in promoting initiatives that would enhance national development, improve citizens’ access to identity services and strengthen public confidence in government programmes.
“We are committed to working with NIMC in ensuring that the public receives accurate information that will encourage wider participation in the national identity registration exercise for the benefit of Nigeria,” he said.
