President Muhammadu Buhari has relocated the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy.

Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Pantami, said the move followed the President’s consideration of the critical role of the commission towards realisation of the objectives of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) for a knowledge-based Nigeria.

In a statement yesterday by his spokesperson, Mrs. Uwa Suleiman, the minister observed that the decision was to ensure synergy and effective supervision of all digital transformation initiatives.

He recalled that NIMC is mandated to create, manage, maintain and operate the National Identity Database established by the NIMC Act, 2007 while the agency has so far registered some 41 million eligible enrollees for the National Identity Number (NIN).