Solid Minerals Ministry, NIMC partner to boost digital governance, sector regulation

…Credible identity system will strengthen mining oversight — Alake

By Gabriel Ewepu

ABUJA — The Ministry of Solid Minerals Development and the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) have commenced collaboration aimed at strengthening digital governance, improving security and accelerating reforms in Nigeria’s solid minerals sector.

The partnership was disclosed in a statement signed by the Special Assistant on Media to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Lara Owoeye-Wise, following a meeting between the Minister, Dr Dele Alake, and the management team of NIMC led by its Director-General and Chief Executive Officer, Dr Abisoye Coker-Odusote.

Receiving the NIMC delegation on a courtesy visit in Abuja, Alake described the Commission as a critical institution in Nigeria’s development architecture, stressing that effective governance could not be achieved without a credible identity management system.

The Minister said technology, reliable data and digital identity had become essential tools for national planning, regulation, investment promotion and security.

According to him, ongoing reforms in the mining sector require stronger collaboration with institutions such as NIMC to improve transparency and accountability across the mining value chain.

“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.

“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.

He identified technology, statistics, data gathering and digital identity as key drivers of evidence-based policymaking, efficient licensing processes, improved regulatory oversight and sustainable investment in the mining industry.

NIMC Highlights Benefits of Digital Identity Integration

Earlier, NIMC Director-General, Dr Abisoye Coker-Odusote, highlighted areas of collaboration between the commission and the ministry, noting that the newly enacted NIMC Act had positioned Nigeria to fully embrace a digital governance ecosystem.

She explained that integrating identity management into the solid minerals sector would enhance database coordination among government institutions, improve regulatory compliance, strengthen security and law enforcement, and improve monitoring of mining operators.

Coker-Odusote added that a reliable digital identity infrastructure would also support the implementation of Community Development Agreements (CDAs) between mining companies and host communities.

She said the system would enable government agencies to develop more accurate databases, improve public service delivery and promote transparency in administration.

NIMC Act to Strengthen Digital Economy

Both institutions expressed commitment to deepening collaboration through technology-driven initiatives that would support reforms in the mining sector, improve governance and contribute to sustainable development.

The meeting also highlighted the importance of the recently signed National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Act, 2026, which provides a stronger legal framework for Nigeria’s digital identity ecosystem.

The Act is expected to accelerate secure identity verification, improve inter-agency data integration, strengthen public service delivery, enhance law enforcement capacity and promote transparency and accountability.

The stakeholders noted that providing eligible Nigerians and legal residents with trusted digital identities would represent a major step towards building a more efficient and technology-driven governance system.

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