Following the brake on the linkage of the National Identification Number (NIN) and individual phone numbers, the federal government has ordered telecommunication firms to allow calls on only 125 million Nigerian phone lines effective 4th April.
With this directive, about 85 subscribers with unlinked phone numbers will no longer be able to call or receive phone calls until they enrol on the NIMC platform and link their phone numbers.
“Subscribers of such lines are hereby advised to link their SIMs to their NINs before the Telcos can lift the restriction on their lines. Affected individuals are hereby advised to register for their NINs at designated centres and thereafter link the NINs to their SIMs through the channels provided by NIMC and the Telcos, including the NIMC mobile App”, according to a statement jointly signed by Ikechukwu Adinde of the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) and Kayode Adegoke of the Nigerian Identity Managment Communication (NIMC).
President Buhari, in December 2020 directed phone numbers of all residents in Nigeria be linked to the NIMC platform in an exercise that aimed at enhancing security in the country
Owing to the challenges in the enrolment on the NIMC platform, the deadlines for the NIN-SIM linkage in consideration of the passionate appeals by several bodies including the Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Civil Societies, Professional Bodies and a host of others, was extended on multiple occasions to allow Nigerians to freely comply with the Policy.
The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, said President Muhammadu Buhari ordered the implementation of the Policy to commence effective 4th of April, 2022 adding that majority of the Nigerian population has linked their phone numbers to the NIMC platform.
“As of date, over 125 Million SIMs have had their NINs submitted for immediate linkage, verification and authentication. Similarly, the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has issued over 78 Million unique NINs to date”.
It would be recalled that
“Accordingly, Mr President graciously approved the many requests to extend deadlines for the NIN-SIM linkage. At this point, however, Government has determined that the NIN-SIM Policy implementation can proceed, as machinery has already been put in place to ensure compliance by citizens and legal residents. The implementation impacts the Government’s strategic planning, particularly in the areas of security and socio-economic projections.
Pantami thanked the president and the top management official of the NCC and the NIMC for their support, emphasising that enrolment for the NIN is a continuous exercise and NIN is a precondition for service in Telcos, banks, Nigerian Immigration Service, and several other government services.
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