The Nigerian Communications Commission has announced a substantial increase in the compliance rate of SIMs that have been successfully linked to an NIN – from 69.7% in January 2024 to the current number of 96%. This is significant progress by all measure, and now the Commission is asking subscribers to go full cylinder as it readies to draw the curtain on the exercise which it has slated for September 14, 2024.
To ensure success, the Commission in a release signed by its Public Affairs Director, Mr. Reuben Muoka, sought “the cooperation of all Nigerians to achieve 100 per cent compliance.” The NCC states the verification exercise as critical as it’s a policy that “strengthens confidence in digital transactions, reduces the risk of fraud and cybercrime, and supports greater participation in e-commerce, digital banking, and mobile money services. This, in turn, promotes financial inclusion and drives economic growth”.
Mr. Muoka made the startling revelation that “Through collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), the NCC has uncovered alarming cases where individuals possessed an unusually high number of SIM cards—some exceeding 100,000.”
In view of the unabating security challenges, he promised that the Commission remained committed to “working with security agencies and other stakeholders to crack down on the sale of pre-registered SIMs, thereby safeguarding national security and ensuring the integrity of mobile numbers in Nigeria.”
To ensure full compliance with the NIN-SIM linkage policy, the NCC has directed all Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) to complete the mandatory verification and linkage of SIMs to NINs by September 14, 2024. “Effective September 15, 2024, the Commission expects that no SIM operating in Nigeria will be without a valid NIN”.
The release urged “all members of the public who have not yet completed their NIN-SIM linkage, or who have faced issues due to verification mismatches, to visit their service providers promptly to update their details before the deadline. Alternatively, the approved self-service portals are available for this purpose.”
The NCC did not forget to remind the public that the sale and purchase of pre-registered SIMs are criminal offences punishable by imprisonment and fines, encouraging citizens to report any such activities to the Commission via its toll-free line (622) or through its social media platforms.
