NCC to block SIM cards without National Identification Number

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said that all Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) cards registered without National Identification Number (NIN) are to be blocked from their respective networks latest by 30 December 2020.

In a statement signed by the Commission’s Director of Public Affairs, Dr Ikechukwu Adinde, the Commission stated that following the earlier directive on the suspension of new SIM registration by network operators, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Pantami convened an urgent meeting of key stakeholders in the Communications industry on Monday, December 14, 2020.

“The meeting had in attendance the Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) and Management of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), as well as the CEOs and Management staff of all service providers in the industry”

“At the meeting, the need to consolidate the achievements of last year’s  SIM registration audit and improve the performance and sanity of the sector was exhaustively discussed and all stakeholders agreed that urgent drastic measures have now become inevitable to improve the integrity and transparency of the SIM registration process.” The Commission said.

The Commission stated that decisions taken for immediate implementation by all Network Operators include:

1. Affirmation of the earlier directive to totally suspend the registration of NEW SIMs by all operators.
2. Operators to require ALL their subscribers to provide valid National Identification Number (NIN) to update SIM registration records.
3. The submission of NIN by subscribers to take place within two weeks (from today December 16, 2020, and end by 30 December 2020).
4. After the deadline, ALL SIMs without NINs are to be blocked from the networks.
5. A Ministerial Task Force comprising the Minister and all the CEOs (among others) as members is to monitor compliance by all networks.

The Commission stated that violations of the directive will be met by stiff sanctions, including the possibility of withdrawal of operating license.

“The general public is hereby urged to ensure that their NINs are captured in their SIM registration data. All inconveniences which might be occasioned by this directive are deeply regretted.”The NCC added.

Zainab Sa’id