Nigerians have until Saturday, September 14, 2024, to link their SIM cards to their National Identification Numbers (NIN) or risk losing their network connections. This deadline is the final warning from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), which has been pushing for the mandatory SIM-NIN linkage to enhance security in the country’s digital economy.
The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has reassured citizens that it is fully prepared to help them meet the deadline. According to NIMC’s spokesperson, Kayode Adegoke, all NIMC services, such as NIN enrollment, verification, and data modification, are fully operational to assist Nigerians in completing the process on time.
“There are over 10,000 NIN enrollment centers across Nigeria and even abroad for Nigerians and legal residents to access. We are ready to help everyone get their NINs before the deadline,” said the NIMC in a statement. It also reminded citizens that they can modify their digital ID information via the NIMC Self-Service portal or find more information on the NIMC website.
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) issued its final call for Nigerians to link their SIMs with their NINs on August 28, 2024. According to the NCC, starting from September 15, 2024, any SIM card that is not linked to a NIN will be deactivated. Nigerians who have experienced verification issues or mismatches with their NIN information are urged to visit their service providers immediately to resolve the issue.
For convenience, citizens can also use approved self-service portals to complete the SIM-NIN linkage process. The NCC highlighted that since the linkage initiative began in December 2020, over 153 million SIM cards have been successfully linked to NINs. This represents an impressive compliance rate of 96%, a significant jump from 69.7% earlier this year in January 2024.
The NCC emphasized the importance of full compliance, stating that linking all SIM cards to NINs strengthens digital security and trust. This policy helps protect against fraud, cybercrime, and other digital threats, while promoting e-commerce, digital banking, and mobile money services. The linkage process also supports financial inclusion and contributes to economic growth by ensuring that all mobile users are verified.
This SIM-NIN linkage has faced numerous deadline extensions over the past four years. Despite the delays, the NIMC has made notable progress, issuing over 110 million NINs to date. This effort is part of the Nigerian government’s plan to enhance national security, prevent identity theft, and streamline access to digital services.
As the final deadline approaches, Nigerians are encouraged to take immediate action if they have not already linked their SIM cards to their NINs. This measure is part of a broader national strategy to improve the security and transparency of the digital economy in Nigeria.
The government hopes that through this initiative, Nigeria’s digital infrastructure will be more secure, reliable, and beneficial to its citizens, driving forward financial inclusion and participation in the growing digital economy.
