FG orders telecommunication companies to block all SIMs without NINs

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has stated that telecommunications companies have two weeks to block SIM cards not registered with the National Identity Numbers (NIN)

Following the directive, after 30 December, all Subscriber Identification Modules that are not registered with valid NINs on the network of telecommunications companies shall be blocked.

It was gathered in Abuja on Tuesday that the declaration was part of resolutions reached during an urgent meeting of key stakeholders in the communications industry that was convened by the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami.

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The NCC said stakeholders agreed that urgent drastic measures had now become inevitable to improve the integrity and transparency of the SIM registration process.

The commission outlined decisions taken for immediate implementation by all network operators to include the affirmation of the earlier directive to totally suspend registration of new SIMs by all operators.

The key stakeholders concluded that operators should “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 (from today December 16, 2020 and end by 30 December, 2020).

“After the deadline, ALL SIMs without NINs are to be blocked from the networks,” the statement read.