These updates are part of the“Business Rules issued pursuant to the Registration of Communications Subscribers Regulation,” and seek to address existing gaps in the system while incorporating new self-service options.

One significant change is the requirement to clear all records of recycled SIMs from any previously linked NINs. This measure allows new users to register and link their own NINs without issues.

The updated guidelines also focus on improving the harmonization of NIN-SIM registration databases and refining the procedures for activating and registering new SIM cards.

In terms of authorization, businesses now need to appoint Secondary or Operations Telecom Masters. This requires detailed authorization letters signed by C-Level staff, which must include the names, official designations, and NINs of the appointed Telecom Masters.

For Machine-to-Machine (M2M) SIM registrations, only the NIN of the Primary Telecom Master is necessary.

The authorization process has been made more rigorous, requiring the submission of a CSV file detailing all associated SIMs, the NINs of secondary users, and additional documents like the Certificate of Incorporation and Tax Clearance Certificate.

For foreign nationals, the new rules stipulate that those residing in Nigeria for over two years must obtain a NIN to register SIMs and for Mobile Number Portability (MNP).

Foreigners who have been in Nigeria for less than two years are exempt from the NIN requirement but must provide their International passport biodata and visa pages for SIM registration.

Diplomatic missions are subject to special provisions, including the submission of diplomatic passports and a Letter of Request from the Head of Mission.

The new rules also introduce a self-service option for resolving biometric mismatches. However, this service can only be conducted by Communications Service Providers, not by agents or third parties.

The self-service process must follow strict standards, including proper lighting, a plain background for image capture, and must be managed by licensed agents at designated SIM card registration centers.

Overall, these updates aim to streamline the SIM registration and NIN linkage process, ensuring greater efficiency and compliance within Nigeria’s telecommunications sector.

The issue arose after the network provider barred some subscribers’ lines on Sunday, which led to a viral video showing a mob destroying a barricade fence outside an MTN office.

The incident took place in the FESTAC Town area of Lagos State, where a large crowd of angry subscribers vandalized the telecommunications company’s office.

The unrest was reportedly in response to the network blocking subscribers due to discrepancies between their National Identification Number and SIM registration.

However, Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, stated on X.com that the Divisional Police Officer of FESTAC and his team had restored peace and normalcy at the scene.

“This should not be the way to go!

Reacting on Tuesday, MTN said it would be shutting its shops nationwide today.

“Yello customer, please be informed that our shops nationwide will be closed today, 30th July 2024,” the statement sighted on X read.

Reuben Mouka, the Director of Public Affairs at NCC, revealed this during an interview with The PUNCH Online on Tuesday.

Telecommunication operators have already barred these lines, as they failed to meet the deadline set by the commission, which mandated customers to link their Subscriber Identity Modules (SIM) to their NIN by February 28, 2024

He said, “If the barred lines are not acted upon in the next 180 days. They won’t be able to receive calls but will only be able to text and make calls. But after the stipulated days, they would be barred from making calls too. And might forfeit their lines to their respective service provider within 365 days.”

According to NCC spokesman Reuben Muoka, individuals whose NINs were not properly verified or cleared have experienced disruptions in their mobile services.

Muoka highlighted discrepancies in information provided, such as names and other data, which have led to identification issues for some subscribers.

Muoka further explained that despite previous NIN-SIM linkage efforts, some subscribers’ information did not align, prompting the need for physical visits to service provider outlets for verification and resolution.

The NCC had issued a directive to telecom service providers to bar subscribers who failed to link their phone numbers to their NIN by February 28, 2024.

Muoka emphasized the necessity of this linkage for achieving digital identity objectives and addressing security concerns.

Although millions of lines were barred following the deadline, Muoka indicated that the NCC will conduct an audit to ascertain the exact number affected.

He underscored the importance of the NIN-SIM linkage in streamlining digital services and enhancing security measures across various sectors.

This follows claims in several quarters that the telecom operators are set to increase their rates.

But, the Chairman, Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) Gbenga Adebayo, who gave the assurance on Wednesday while speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, telcos are working with other stakeholders to see the best possible way to continue business without reviewing the tariffs.

According to him, “There are no such plans; we guarantee that there will be continuous service availability to all citizens in all places at all times.”

“We don’t have plans for tariff reviews. We are consulting with our regulators and others in government to see what kind of sustainability we can have for the industry we have no immediate plans to review public tariffs.”

He also spoke about the baring of unlinked customers’ lines over their failure to link their SIM cards with the National Identity Number (NIN).

The ALTON boss said since the new directive, there has been a surge in the number of persons trying to link their SIM cards with NIN.

“It has been a lot of pressure at various experience centres, there has also been a lot of pressure on the systems,” he explained.

“It has been a lot of concerns expressed by the members of the public to our various contact centres; so it appears the heat is coming to all of us at this time.

“Unfortunately, we have been on this for fourteen months, many people didn’t respond to the call to link their SIM to their NIN and so we are where we are. Certainly, the last 24 hours, has been enormous pressure on at the various experience centre.”

The government gave this order in a statement jointly signed on Monday by the Director of Public Affairs at the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Ikechukwu Adinde, and the Head of Corporate Communications at the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Mr Kayode Adegoke.

According to the statement, over 125 million SIMs have had their NINs submitted for linkage, verification, and authentication and NIMC has issued over 78 million unique NINs to date.

The statement read; “Outgoing calls will subsequently be barred for telephone lines that have not complied with the NIN-SIM linkage policy from the 4th of April 2022. Subscribers of such lines are hereby advised to link their SIMs to their NINs before the telcos can lift the restriction on their lines.

“Affected individuals are hereby advised to register for their NINs at designated centres and thereafter link the NINs to their SIMs through the channels provided by NIMC and the telcos, including the NIMC mobile app.”

The government explained that NIN-SIM linkage had been extended on multiple occasions to allow Nigerians to freely comply with the policy.

It added that the enrolment for NIN was a continuous exercise as it was a precondition for service in telecommunication companies, banks, Nigerian Immigration Service, and several other government agencies.

It would be recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari gave the directive for the implementation and commencement of the exercise in December 2020, as part of the administration’s security and social policies.

In a statement jointly signed by spokespersons of the Nigerian Communications Commission and National Identity Management Commission, the government had approved an extension of the NIN-SIM linkage deadline to March 31.

Phone subscribers who do not make the linkage may lose access to telecommunication services.

“In preparation for the enforcement, the Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami) urges citizens and legal residents to use the next few days to ensure that they complete the linkage,” the statement said.

“To this end, the Honourable Minister has further directed that the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) should offer enrolment services round-the-clock for the next few days. Prof Pantami also thanks all those who have completed their NIN-SIM linkage.

“On behalf of the Honourable Minister, the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, and the Director-General/CEO of NIMC, Engr. Aliyu Aziz, urge citizens and legal residents to take advantage of the window to complete the process of enrolment and verification within the next few days.”

The Commission gave the admonition during the NCC Digital Signature (NDS) radio programme, which hosted the 2nd episode of Telecoms Consumer Town Hall on Radio (TCTHR) live on a radio station in Lagos to discuss the benefits of NIN-SIM integration.

In the studio during the TCTHR programme were representatives of the NCC, the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and officials of telecoms operators. The live, phone-in programme provided the opportunity for listeners to call and get clarifications on concerns and issues around NIN-SIM integration exercise.

Speaking during the live programme, Director, Public Affairs, NCC, Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde, advised Nigerians to make use of the extension of the NIN-SIM integration exercise to October 31 to enrol with NIMC, get their NIN and link it to their SIMs.

“Soon, people without NIN will be denied of necessary services that play vital roles in their lives including acquisition of driver’s license, international passport,” he said.

On the benefits of the NIN-SIM integration, Adinde said the exercise will significantly enhance national security as NIN is the primary identity for Nigerians, stressing that in line with Federal Government’s commitment to ensure that Nigeria deploys technology to improve service delivery, the NIN-SIM database will enhance citizens’ access to government services.

The Director, Public Affairs Nigerian Communications Commission, Ikechukwu Adinde; and the Head, Corporate Communications, Nigeria Identity Management Commission, Kayode Adegoke, made this known in a joint statement on Monday, titled ‘FG Extends NIN-SIM verification deadline to 31st October, 2021′.

Before now, FG had approved the extension of the deadline for NIN-SIM data verification to July 26, 2021.

The statement read, “The Federal Government has approved the extension of the deadline for NIN-SIM data verification to October 31, 2021. The decision to extend the deadline was made following a request by stakeholders to accommodate registration in hard-to-reach remote areas, foreigners and diplomatic missions, diaspora and address low enrolments in schools and hospitals, as evidenced by enrolment statistics. It also followed a review of the progress of the exercise which indicated significant progress hence the need to consolidate the gains of the enrolment and NIN-SIM verification process across the country. As of July 24th, 2021, there are over 5,500 enrolment systems within and outside the country and this would significantly ease the NIN enrolment process and subsequent linkage of NIN to SIM. The administration of His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, has approved the extension as part of efforts to make it easier for its citizens within and outside the country, and legal residents to obtain the NIN and it is important to take advantage of the extension. The NIN-SIM linkage also makes it easier for the security agencies to carry out their statutory duties and the relevant parastatals under the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy are supporting them as required. There are now a total of 59.8 million unique NIN enrolments, with an average of three to four SIMs per NIN. With the great number of enrolment centres within and outside the country, and many more coming up, every citizen, legal resident, and Nigerian citizen living in the diaspora should be able to obtain their NINs. The Federal Government is also excited at the news that the use of NIN in the process of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board exam significantly reduced the challenge of exam malpractice. The Minister, on behalf of the Federal Government, appreciates Nigerians for their patience and compliance with the Federal Government’s directive on the NIN-SIM registration exercise. Similarly, the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, Prof Umar Garba Dambatta, and the Director-General/CEO of that National Identity Management Commission, Engr Aliyu Azeez, urge citizens and legal residents to make sure they use the opportunity to complete the process of enrolment and verification before the October 31st deadline.”

This was announced via a statement signed jointly by spokespersons of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Nigeria Identity Management Commission (NIMC).

According to the agencies,  more than 57.3 million Nigerians have enrolled for the NIN, with an average of three to four SIMs per NIN.

“The decision to extend the deadline was made after a request by stakeholders on the need to consolidate the enrolment and NIN-SIM verification process following the rapid increase in the number of enrolment systems across the country,” the statement said.

The agencies also noted that as of June 28, a total of 5,410 enrollment systems have been made available nationwide to “significantly ease the NIN enrolment process and subsequent linkage of NIN to SIM.

“It is worthy of note that there were only about 800 such enrolment systems as at December 2020.

“The Federal Government has approved the extension as part of its effort to make it easier for its citizens and residents to obtain the NIN and it is important to take advantage of the extension.”