Senate recommits National Identity Management Bill, passes five others for concurrence

From Adesuwa Tsan, Abuja

The Senate on Wednesday recommitted the National Identity Management Commission (Repeal and Enactment) Bill, 2025 for reconsideration, citing the need to address critical legal and technical gaps identified after its passage by both chambers of the National Assembly.

The decision followed a motion moved by Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, who explained that the Directorate of Legal Services of the National Assembly had raised fundamental observations in the draft transmitted for presidential assent, necessitating fresh legislative action.

Bamidele said a technical committee comprising officials of the Senate, the House of Representatives, and the Directorate of Legal Services had reviewed the issues and recommended adjustments to ensure clarity and consistency in the bill’s provisions.

Relying on Orders 1(b) and 52(6) of the Senate Standing Orders, the chamber rescinded its earlier decision and recommitted the bill to the Committee of the Whole for reconsideration and passage.

“The recommittal will enable the Senate to perfect the bill and ensure that the final version sent for presidential assent fully aligns with legal drafting standards and the objectives of Nigeria’s identity management framework,” Bamidele explained.

The bill seeks to strengthen the operations of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and establish a more secure and integrated national identity database for effective governance, planning, and security management.

In a related development, the Senate also passed five bills for concurrence with the House of Representatives in accordance with the doctrine of interchamber reciprocity.

The bills passed include the Nigeria Correctional Service Trust Fund (Establishment) Bill, 2025 (HB. 686), designed to create a funding mechanism for rehabilitation and reintegration of inmates; and the Federal College of Nursing and Midwifery, Ikosu Moba, Ekiti State (Establishment) Bill, 2025 (HB. 782), aimed at expanding access to training and professional development in nursing and midwifery.

Others are the Orthopaedic Hospitals Management Board Act (Amendment) Bill, 2025 (HB. 2193); the Federal Medical Centres Act (Amendment) Bill, 2025 (HB. 91); and the Export (Prohibition) Act (Repeal) Bill, 2025 (HB. 2460), which seeks to update Nigeria’s trade laws in line with global best practices.

All five concurrence bills were sponsored by the Senate Leader and were adopted after being read and approved by the chamber.