The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has officially transferred its Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) framework to the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), marking a significant step towards strengthening Nigeria’s digital identity system and enhancing secure online services.
According to a report by The Guardian, the transfer includes the agency’s assets, technology and ongoing operations, providing the security framework required to support a modern, integrated and highly secure national digital identity ecosystem.
Speaking during the formal handover ceremony at NITDA headquarters, the Director General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, described the move as a demonstration of the agency’s commitment to working with institutions that leverage technology to drive national development.
Abdullahi said NITDA had laid extensive groundwork on Public Key Infrastructure and Digital Public Infrastructure, adding that the agency would continue to work closely with NIMC to ensure a smooth transition.
Public Key Infrastructure enables the creation, management, verification and authentication of digital identities through digital certificates, providing secure, trusted and encrypted digital communications and transactions.
The handover aligns with the newly amended NIMC Act signed into law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which seeks to harmonise identity databases across government agencies and establish the National Identification Number as the primary means of identity verification, authentication and access to public services.
Abdullahi reaffirmed NITDA’s commitment to promoting nationwide technology adoption, stressing that the agency would continue supporting NIMC and other public institutions pursuing digital transformation initiatives.
NIMC Director General and Chief Executive Officer, Dr Abisoye Coker Odusote, expressed appreciation to NITDA and said the new NIMC Act would modernise Nigeria’s identity management framework by replacing legislation that had been in place since 2007.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in Nigeria’s justice sector have called for stronger digital evidence management systems and enhanced collaboration among institutions to combat increasingly sophisticated cybercrime driven by artificial intelligence.
The call was made at the conclusion of a four day specialised training on Cybercrime, Artificial Intelligence and Digital Evidence for members of the Joint Case Team on Cybercrime and designated Federal High Court judges in Lagos.
The programme, organised by the International Centre for Migration Policy Development in partnership with the Joint Case Team on Cybercrime, brought together more than 40 participants, including investigators, prosecutors, analysts, forensic experts and six Federal High Court judges.
Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo, said cybercrime had evolved beyond conventional online fraud to include AI assisted crimes, deepfakes, voice cloning, ransomware attacks, cryptocurrency related offences, identity theft and transnational cybercrime networks.
He noted that involving judges in the training would strengthen the criminal justice process by improving the handling of cybercrime cases in court.
The ICMPD TIP VAP Project Manager, Matthias Esene, said the organisation supported the initiative because advances in technology had transformed the methods used by traffickers and cybercriminals.
Also speaking, Deputy Director and Head of the Cybercrimes Unit at the Federal Ministry of Justice, Jamila Akaaga Ade, stressed that sustained collaboration among relevant institutions remained essential in tackling cybercrime effectively.
Participants at the training, including CSP Samuel Umezurike of the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre and Federal Ministry of Justice prosecutor Becky Jibo, said the programme enhanced their knowledge of investigating AI generated crimes, preserving digital evidence and presenting electronic evidence in court.
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