*Dr. Dele Alake, Minister for Solid Minerals Development, says the Ministry and National Identity Management Commission are strengthening their partnership as technology and reliable data become indispensable tools for planning, regulation, investments and national security in the Nigerian economy
Gbenga Kayode | ConsumerConnect
As part of ongoing measures to accelerate reforms in solid minerals sector, the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development (MSMD) and the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) have agreed to strengthen their partnership to advance digital identity, data-driven governance, and policymaking in the Nigerian economy.
ConsumerConnect gathered Dr. Dele Alake, Honourable Minister for Solid Minerals Development, stated this while speaking during a on courtesy visit by Engr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, Director-General and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NIMC, led a delegation to his office in Abuja, FCT.
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Alake described the national identity Commission as pivotal in Nigeria’s development architecture.
The Minister also emphasised that effective governance is impossible without a credible identity management system in the Nigerian economy.
He equally noted that technology and reliable data have become indispensable tools for planning, regulation, investment and national security.
Alake: Ministry’s reforms require collaboration with institutions for success
The Ministry, in a statement by Lara Owoeye-Wise, Special Assistant to the Minister on Media, also quoted Alake to have said: “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 ongoing reforms in the solid minerals sector, the Minister observed, require robust collaboration with institutions, such as NIMC to strengthen transparency and accountability across the mining value chain.
He averred: “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.”
Besides, the Minister identified technology, statistics, data gathering and digital identity as critical enablers for evidence-based policymaking, improved regulatory oversight, efficient licensing, investment promotion and national development.
NIMC highlights partnership opportunities with Solid Minerals Ministry
Speaking earlier during the visit to the Solid Minerals Development Ministry, Engr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, Director-General and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NIMC, had highlighted several opportunities for collaboration between both institutions.
Coker-Odusote said the new National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Act 2026, which President Bola Ahmed Tinubu signed into law recently, had positioned Nigeria to fully embrace a digital governance ecosystem.
The Director-General of NIMC explained that deeper integration of identity management into the Solid Minerals Development sector would facilitate database integration across government institutions, enhance regulatory compliance, strengthen security and law enforcement, improve monitoring of operators, and provide stronger support for the implementation of Community Development Agreements (CDAs) in mining host communities across Nigeria.
The NIMC Chief Executive also stated that the organisation’s digital identity infrastructure would enable government agencies to build more reliable databases, improve service delivery, and foster greater transparency in public administration in the country.
The statement as well noted the Solid Minerals Development industry and NIMC expressed commitment to strengthening collaboration through technology-driven initiatives.
He disclosed the move is aimed at supporting the Ministry’s ongoing reforms, improve governance, reinforce security, and contribute to sustainable development in the mining sector of the economy.
The meeting also highlighted the significance of the recently signed the NIMC Act, 2026, which provides a stronger legal framework for digital identity ecosystem in the West African country.
The Ministry further stressed the NIMC Act is expected to accelerate secure identity verification, improve inter-agency data integration, enhance public service delivery, strengthen law enforcement, promote transparency and accountability, and lay a solid foundation for a modern digital economy.
The statement also noted that by providing every eligible Nigerian and legal resident with a trusted digital identity, the legislation marks a major milestone in the country’s journey towards more efficient, technology-driven governance.