Nigeria now has confirmed over 54 million telecommunications subscribers linked in the database of the National Identity Number (NIN) through their Subscribers Identification Module (SIM), reports ITREALMS.
Arising from a virtual meeting chaired by the Minister
of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, and attended
by the Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Adeolu Akande,
the Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of NCC, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta and the
Director-General/CEO of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC),
Engr. Aliyu Azeez, they said the postponement of the deadline was based on the
request by stakeholders for an extension till 30th of June, 2021.
This, ITREALMS gathered is in order to make it
easier for all citizens and legal residents to register.
A press statement available to ITREALMS jointly
endorsed by Director, Public Affairs at NCC, Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde and Head,
Corporate Communications at NIMC, Mr. Kayode Adegoke, noted that significant
progress has been made in the NIN-SIM verification process.
“For example, almost 54 million people have
obtained their NIN and this can translate to up to 190 million mobile numbers,
since empirical evidence suggests that each unique NIN maps to three to four
phone lines.
“The much-awaited Android enrolment system is
now ready for deployment and this has the potential to significantly accelerate
the speed and ease of enrolments.
“Furthermore, the telecom providers and other
enrolment agents have also opened several centres across the country to make it
easier for eligible citizens and residents to obtain and link their NINs.
“It is noteworthy that Sections 27 and 29 of the
National Identity Management Commission Act 2007 provides for the mandatory use
of NIN for accessing several government services. This is similar to the use of
Social Security Number and National Insurance Number for accessing services in
the United States of America and the United Kingdom respectively.
They equally quoted Pantami as saying that the
Federal Government 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.
“Dr. Pantami wishes to thank Nigerians for their
patience and compliance with the Federal Government’s directive on the NIN-SIM
registration exercise.
Also, he reiterated government’s commitment to
continually taking decisions aimed at easing the pains of the citizens with
regard to issues related to NIN and SIM registration.
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