Nigerians race against SIM-NIN digital ID link deadline

Nigerians have until Saturday September 14 to link their SIM cards with heir national identification number (NIN) or have their network connection suspended in what is said to be a final ultimatum.

As the deadline issued last month by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) draws near, the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has reassured citizens of its readiness to accompany them in obtaining NINs to complete the process.

A statement signed by the institution’s head of Corporate Communications, Kayode Adegoke, reminds Nigerians that services related to NIN enrollment, verification and authentication, modification of data and other services are going on unperturbed so as to enable citizens meet the NIN-SIM linkage deadline.

“The Commission wishes to reiterate that all its over ten thousand NIN enrolment centres across the country and in the diaspora are open for NIN enrolment. Nigerians and legal residents can visit any of the centres to enrol and be issued the NIN,” the statement reads. “This assurance is given in light of the 14th September 2024 deadline for the NIN-SIM linkage.”

The ID authority also mentioned that all Nigerians and legal residents who intend to modify their digital ID data can so through the NIMC Self-Service portal. Meanwhile, they can also reach out to NIMC teams using the agency’s official website to make enquiries on NIN enrolment centres, processes and procedures for NIN data modifications, and NIN verification issues.

Critical phase of SIM-NIN linkage

On August 28, the NCC announced what it termed the “final deadline” for Nigerians to fully comply with the SIM-NIN linkage directive of the federal government.

In a press statement, the regulatory body said it expects that “effective September 15, 2024, no SIM operating in Nigeria should be without a valid NIN.

“We urge 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,” reads a part of the statement issued by the institution’s Director of Public Affairs, Reuben Muoka.

The NCC also gave an update of the SIM-Nin linkage exercise since it started in December 2020, saying to date, “over 153 million SIMs have been successfully linked to a NIN, reflecting an impressive compliance rate of 96 per cent, a substantial increase from 69.7 per cent in January 2024.”

“As we approach the final phase of this critical process, the NCC seeks the continued cooperation of all Nigerians to achieve 100 per cent compliance. The complete linkage of all SIM cards to NINs is essential for enhancing the trust and security of our digital economy.”

“By verifying all mobile users, this policy 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.”

The SIM-NIN linkage exercise has seen innumerable deadline extensions in the past four years.

Recently, the NIMC said over 110 million NINs have been issued.

Article Topics

Africa  |  biometrics  |  digital ID  |  National Identity Management Commission (NIMC)  |  National Identity Number (NIN)  |  Nigeria  |  SIM card registration