The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has given
telecommunications operators in the country two weeks to block all SIM cards
that are not registered with the National Identity Numbers (NIN).
NCC Director of Public Affairs, Dr Ikechukwu Adinde
announced the new Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) Cards rules in a
statement on Tuesday in Abuja.
Adinde said the implementation followed the earlier
directive on the suspension of new SIM registration by network operators by the
Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Pantami.
He said that the minister had convened an urgent meeting of key stakeholders in the communications industry.
According to him, the meeting had in attendance the NCC
Management, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), the
National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and CEOs of Service Providers in
the industry.
He said that the need to consolidate the achievements of
2019 SIM registration audit and improve the performance to sanitise the sector
was exhaustively discussed at the meeting.
He also disclosed that all stakeholders agreed that drastic
measures have become inevitable to improve the integrity and transparency of
the SIM registration process.
Adinde said that to this end, the following decisions were
taken for immediate implementation by all Network Operators:
“Affirmation of the earlier directive to totally suspend
registration of NEW SIMs by all operators.
“Operators to require all their subscribers to provide valid
National Identification Number (NIN) to update SIM registration records.
“The submission of NIN by subscribers to take place within
two weeks, commencing Dec.16 and ending by Dec. 30.
“After the deadline, all SIMs without NINs are to be blocked
from the networks.
“A Ministerial Task Force comprising the Minister and all
the CEOs (among others) as members is to monitor compliance by all networks.
“Violations of this directive will be met by stiff
sanctions, including the possibility of withdrawal of operating license,”
Adinde said.
He urged Nigerians to ensure that their NINs were captured
in their SIM registration data, adding that all inconveniences which might be
occasioned by the directive were deeply regretted.
those who have registered for NIN. why have they not gotten their national id cards?
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