Nigeria‘s defense minister has backed the implementation of the country’s new national ID legal framework, while Namibia is preparing for the full rollout of its national digital ID system in September.
Nigeria seeks better security through new digital ID rules
Nigeria’s Ministry of Defense is collaborating with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to fully implement the NIMC Act 2026, which aims to integrate digital identity systems and identity verification for national security operations.
The country’s Minister of Defense, Rtd. Gen. Christopher Gwabin Musa, shared his views on the new regulations during a chat with the Director General of the NIMC, Dr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, and her management team at the Ship House in Abuja.
The two leaders emphasized the importance of creating a secure, reliable, and compatible digital identity system. This initiative aims to enhance identity verification processes, strengthen defense operations, and facilitate efficient intelligence sharing among government agencies.
General Musa highlighted the importance of strong collaboration among agencies to effectively tackle modern crime and threat environments, noting that solving internal and external security challenges relies heavily on actionable data.
“For us in the security sector, data is critical—to know who we are dealing with, who we are expecting, and even those within us, because sometimes the enemy is within. It is therefore vital for us to be able to identify everyone accurately,” General Musa said.
The general added that the Ministry of Defense will extend full support to all government institutions in line with its operational mandate.
Nigeria is among the leaders in digital ID adoption in Africa. In 2020, the country entered into a partnership with the World Bank, securing $430 million in funding to issue digital IDs. In 2025, the Nigerian government was reported to have issued 74 million identity numbers, serving as the foundational element of the country’s digital ID system. In the same year, it was revealed that the African nation aims to enroll 180 million individuals in its digital ID program by the end of 2026.
Namibia aims to rollout digital ID this September
Namibia is set to launch its electronic identity documents (e-ID) in September, with the goal to modernize the country’s identity management systems and boost digital public services, NBC Digital News recently reported.
According to the report, the e-ID will contain a microchip with residents’ personal information, including their identity number, names, nationality, date of birth, photograph, and biometric information. The physical version of the card will also introduce a unique identity number that will not be linked to users’ dates of birth.
“So this chip here is built in just under the coat of arms here. So it’s not visible. It’s hidden within the card to protect your information. So this is what we mean when we say electronic card. It has a chip inside. It’s a physical card. Inside the chip, it has your personal information, just like what is on the card itself. And then additionally, there are two thumbprints in the e-ID,” Director of National Civil Registration at the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security (MHAISS), Oscar Mojapi, explained.
“So when you, for example, go to the bank, like I was saying earlier, the bank will say the bank will put your card on a certain device that will be able to read the information in the chip. And then the bank will say, ‘Put your thumbprint somewhere on a different device.’ So the information, your information on the thumbprint and the one in the microchip, should correspond if you are the same person.”
The e-ID is built to facilitate easier access to services offered by the government and private sectors, while also laying the groundwork for a digital identity and improving online verification processes. Security measures, such as encryption, will be implemented to protect users’ personal information and prevent the cloning or tampering of identity cards, in response to privacy and cybersecurity concerns.
“The e-ID refers primarily to the cards. Digital identity is really a digital representation of yourself that we keep within an authentication system. However, the one will allow you to create the other. So having said that, if we look from an identity perspective, your EID will lead to the formation of your digital identity, and that will then be within an authentication gateway which then serves as a single point of access to all other services,” OPM Director for Solution Architecture, Dr. Stefanus Van Staden, said.
The e-ID will be valid for 10 years, after which citizens must renew it. Officials have also stressed that the e-ID does not involve implanting chips in individuals.
Watch: Tech redefines how things are done—Africa is here for it
Be the first to comment