.says 57.3m Nigerians now have NIN
The Federal Government of Nigeria has agin shifted the deadline for Nigerians to link their SIM cards with their National Identification Number (NIN) to July 26, 2021. This made it the fifth time the government is shifting the deadline since the compulsory linkage was first announced in December 2020.
The government had in early December 2020, given Nigerians until the end of the year to link their telephone numbers with the National Identity database or risk being disconnected from the networks. The deadline was, however, shifted to February 19. Since then, it has been shifted three more times before the latest one.
According to a statement jointly signed by the Director of Public Affairs of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde, and the Head, Corporate Communications of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Mr Kayode Adegoke, “the decision to extend the deadline was made after a request by stakeholders on the need to consolidate the enrolment and NIN-SIM verification process following the rapid increase in the number of enrolment systems across the country.”
The statement disclosed that as of June 28, 2021, a total of 5,410 enrolment systems had been made available across the country and this would significantly ease the NIN enrolment process and subsequent linkage of NIN to SIM. The statement noted that there were only about 800 such enrolment systems as of December 2020.
“The Federal Government has approved the extension as part of its effort to make it easier for its citizens and residents to obtain the NIN and it is important to take advantage of the extension,” it said.
The statement further disclosed that there are now a total of 57.3 million unique NIN enrolments, with average of 3 to 4 SIMs per NIN.
“With the great number of enrolment centres across the country, every citizen and legal resident should be able to obtain their NINs.
“The Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, on behalf of the Federal Government, appreciates Nigerians for their patience and compliance with the Federal Government’s directive on the NIN-SIM registration exercise. The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, Prof Umar Garba Dambatta, and the Director-General/CEO of that National Identity Management Commission, Engr Aliyu Azeez, urge citizens and legal residents to make sure they use the opportunity to complete the process of enrolment and verification,” the statement read.
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