- A trusted digital identity system is critical to the successful development of Nigeria’s digital economy and the country’s participation in Africa’s growing digital ecosystem, the Assistant Director, Operations and Head of the Local Government Commission (LGC) for Ogun State at the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Mr. Olugbenga Odesanya has said.
Odesanya stated this while speaking at an Interactive Discourse on the theme of the 2026 Identity Day celebration; “Nigeria’s Digital Public Ecosystem: Empowering Africa’s Digital Economy,” held on Wednesday, September 16, as part of the activities marking this year’s National Identity Day.
Odesanya said digital identity had become a fundamental component of digital public infrastructure, noting that no digital economy could function effectively without a reliable system for establishing and verifying the identity of individuals.
According to him, before citizens can securely access financial services, government programmes, healthcare, education, telecommunications and other digital services, there must be a dependable means of establishing their identity.
He described the National Identification Number (NIN) as more than just a number, stressing that it is an important component of Nigeria’s digital public infrastructure and a key enabler of identity verification and inclusion.
Odesanya said a robust digital identity ecosystem could help reduce duplication, improve service delivery, strengthen accountability and make digital transactions more secure.
He added that reliable digital identity could also help bridge the gap between formal services and traditionally underserved populations, including unbanked people and residents of remote communities.
“Identity enables access. Access enables participation. Participation drives economic activity,” he said, stressing that increased participation in the digital ecosystem would enable businesses to reach more customers, government to deliver services more efficiently and citizens to access more opportunities.
He noted that Nigeria, as Africa’s largest economy and one of the continent’s major technology markets, had an important role to play in the continent’s digital transformation.
Odesanya said Nigeria’s digital public infrastructure could provide a foundation for the development of innovative solutions capable of serving the wider African market.
However, he cautioned that digital transformation must not be driven by technology alone, but must also be built on trust, insisting that citizens must have confidence that their identities and personal information would be adequately protected and that digital systems would be secure, accessible and designed to serve their interests.
He therefore called for continued attention to data protection, cybersecurity, privacy and the responsible use of technology as Nigeria expands its digital public ecosystem.
According to him, achieving a sustainable digital economy requires the collective efforts of government agencies, private-sector organisations, financial institutions, telecommunications companies, technology providers and citizens.
He also stressed the need for greater collaboration between the public and private sectors, interoperability among digital systems, innovation, investment in digital infrastructure and increased digital literacy.
Odesanya said NIMC’s role in the emerging digital ecosystem should be viewed as part of a broader national digital transformation agenda, with the Commission providing a secure and dependable identity foundation upon which other digital services could be developed.
He urged stakeholders to work towards a digital Nigeria in which citizens, irrespective of their location, background or economic status, could establish their identity, access opportunities and participate meaningfully in the digital economy.
He said getting digital identity right would go beyond the creation of databases, as it would create pathways to opportunity, strengthen financial inclusion, improve governance, support innovation and enhance citizens’ security.
“The future of Africa’s economy will increasingly be digital. Our responsibility today is to ensure that Nigerians and Africans are properly positioned to participate in that future,” he said.
Odesanya called for the continued development of an identity ecosystem that is trusted, secure, inclusive and accessible, while urging stakeholders to keep people at the centre of Nigeria’s digital transformation.
He concluded: “Identity is the gateway to inclusion. Inclusion drives participation. Participation fuels the digital economy.”
The Discourse on this year’s theme was proceeded by a roadshow and public awareness campaign in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital as NIMC staff and stakeholders, sought to sensitise members of the public to the importance of having a National Identification Number (NIN) and the opportunities associated with a reliable national identity system.
The roadshow in Abeokuta, led by the Ogun State Coordinator of NIMC, Mr Olusola Shotayo took the atmosphere of a carnival as the NIMC team moved through the Presidential Boulevard area of Oke-Mosan with a vehicle-mounted public address system and a giant banner, drawing attention to the importance of national identification as staff of the Commission danced along, distributing information leaflets.
Stakeholders from the Nigerian Immigration Service, Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency (TRACE) and the Social Orientation and Safety Corps (SoSafe Corps) among others also participated in the celebration. A cake was later cut to commemorate the National Identity Day.
