The Federal Government has extended the deadline for NIN-SIM data verification to the end of 2021.
This was contained in a joint statement signed by the Director of Public Affairs of the Nigerian Communications Commission, Dr Ikechukwu Adinde, and the Head, Corporate Communications at the Nigeria Identity Management Commission, Mr Kayode Adegoke, on Saturday.
The statement was titled, ‘Stakeholders Applaud the NIN-SIM Verification Exercise as FG Urges Citizens and Legal Residents to Enrol before the End of the Year.’
According to the statement, the extension was due to appeals by the mobile network operators and other industry stakeholders.
It reads partly, “The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Pantami, has conveyed the approval of the Federal Government to extend the deadline for the National Identity Number-Subscriber Identity Module data verification. Citizens and legal residents are urged to complete the process before the end of the year 2021.
“The decision to extend the deadline was made further to appeals by the mobile network operators and other industry stakeholders, soliciting for a further extension to ensure better compliance with government’s directive and to avoid widening the digital divide. The extension would also provide the enabling environment for the registration of Nigerians in remote areas, diaspora, schools, hospitals, worship centres, as well as foreigners, diplomatic missions, those in other areas that were hitherto unreachable, and increase enrolments in countries with a significant number of Nigerians.”
The statement said more than 9,500 enrolment systems with over 8,000 NIN enrolment centres were available in and outside the country.
It added that “66 million unique NIN enrolments have been captured since the enrolment process began, with an average of three to four SIMs linked to the NIN.”
Citizens should register – ATCN
Reacting, the President, Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria, Ikechukwu Nnamani, said “It was extended because the goal has not been achieved. Nobody wants to disconnect citizens; but at the same time, citizens should take advantage and just register.
“No one should ignore it and hope that they will postpone it again. A time will come when there won’t be any more extension.”
‘There’ll be another review by December’
Also, the President, National Association of Telecoms Subscribers, Adeolu Ogunbanjo, said, “The deadline has been extended till December 31. It is interesting; I must say that we do appreciate the ministry and the NCC for listening to us.
“However, by December 31, we will have to check what the mobile network operators have been able to do. We will also look at the areas that have been locked out if they have opened.
“Another review will be done by December as to how far they’ve been able to go, as well as those areas that are shut down; have they come up so that they can also link their SIMs. We thank the NCC and the ministry, but by December we will need to review our progress again.”
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