The Nigeria communications commission (NCC) has announced that from September 15, 2024, no Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) will operate without a valid National Identification number (NIN) in Nigeria.
Following a series of warnings and engagement with relevant stakeholders in the communications sector, the commission has given September 14 as the last day for Nigerians to link their SIM cards to a valid NIN else will cease to work.
NCC spokesman, Reuben Muoka, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, directing all mobile network operators (MNOs) to complete the verification and linkage of SIMs to NINs by September 14, 2024.
Mouka said over 153 million SIMs have been successfully linked to their NINs, “reflecting an impressive compliance rate of 96 per cent, a substantial increase from 69.7 per cent in January 2024.”
“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,” the statement read.
“Effective September 15, 2024, the Commission expects that no SIM operating in Nigeria will be without a valid NIN.”
According to the commission, through collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), the NCC has uncovered alarming cases.
The NCC said that it also remained committed to working with security agencies and other stakeholders to crack down on the sale of pre-registered SIMs, adding that that this was to safeguard national security and ensure the integrity of mobile numbers in Nigeria.
The commission said that effective from Sept. 15, 2024, it expected that no SIM operating in Nigeria would be without a valid NIN.
