The Ministry of Solid Minerals Development and the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) have agreed to deepen collaboration to strengthen governance, enhance security and accelerate reforms in Nigeria’s solid minerals sector through digital identity.
Speaking during a courtesy visit by the Director-General and management of NIMC to his office in Abuja, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, described the Commission as a critical institution in Nigeria’s governance architecture, stressing that effective governance depends on a credible identity management system.
Alake said technology, reliable data and digital identity have become indispensable tools for planning, regulation, investment and national security.
“NIMC occupies a critical position in translating policy into reality. It is pivotal to the development of any nation because governance today is driven by data, technology and credible identity systems,” the minister said in a statement issued by the ministry.
He noted that the ministry’s ongoing reforms require closer collaboration with institutions such as NIMC to improve transparency, accountability and regulatory oversight across the mining value chain.
“Without identification, we cannot trace; we cannot track, and insecurity will flourish. In the solid minerals sector, we need effective tracking of both legal and illegal operations. A credible identity ecosystem will strengthen regulation, improve enforcement and support our efforts to sanitise the sector,” Alake said.
The minister identified digital identity, technology, data collection and statistics as key enablers of evidence-based policymaking, efficient licensing, investment promotion and sustainable national development.
Earlier, NIMC Director-General and Chief Executive Officer, Abisoye Coker-Odusote, outlined several areas of collaboration between both institutions, saying the newly enacted NIMC Act, 2026, has positioned Nigeria to fully embrace a digital governance ecosystem.
She said integrating digital identity into the solid minerals sector would enable seamless database integration across government agencies, strengthen regulatory compliance, improve security and law enforcement, enhance monitoring of mining operators, and support the implementation of Community Development Agreements (CDAs) in host communities.
Coker-Odusote added that NIMC’s digital identity infrastructure would help government institutions build more reliable databases, improve service delivery and promote transparency and accountability in public administration.
Both parties pledged to strengthen collaboration through technology-driven initiatives aimed at supporting ongoing reforms in the mining sector, improving governance, reinforcing security and promoting sustainable development.
The meeting also highlighted the significance of the recently signed National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Act, 2026, which provides a stronger legal framework for Nigeria’s digital identity ecosystem.
According to the statement signed by the minister’s Special Assistant on Media, Lara Owoeye-Wise, the Act is expected to accelerate secure identity verification, improve inter-agency data sharing, enhance public service delivery, strengthen law enforcement, promote transparency and accountability, and support the growth of Nigeria’s digital economy.
The statement added that by providing every eligible Nigerian and legal resident with a trusted digital identity, the legislation marks a major milestone in the country’s transition to more efficient, technology-driven governance.
