The federal government has given all telecommunications companies in the country 14 days to require all their subscribers to provide valid National Identification Number, NIN, to update SIM registration records.
SIM cards not registered with NIN, at the end of the exercise, will be blocked.
The 14 days period given runs from December 16 to December 30, 2020.
Failure of the network providers to comply, the government said, would attract very stiff sanctions.
The Nigerian Telecommunications Commission, NCC, made this directive known on Tuesday in a statement issued by its Director of Public Affairs, Dr Ikechukwu Adinde.
Adinde explained that the development followed the earlier directive by the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Pantami, on the suspension of new SIM registration by network operators.
According to him, prior to the latest development, the minister convened an urgent meeting of key stakeholders in the communications industry where some key decisions were taken.
At the meeting were the management of the NCC, the National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA, the National Identity Management Commission, NIMC, and CEOs of Service Providers in the industry.
Chief among the issues discussed was the need to consolidate the achievements of 2019 SIM registration audit and improve the performance with the aim of sanitising the sector.
The statement giving some of the decisions at the meeting reads: “Affirmation of the earlier directive to totally suspend registration of NEW SIMs by all operators.
“Operators to require all their subscribers to provide valid National Identification Number (NIN) to update SIM registration records.
“The submission of NIN by subscribers to take place within two weeks, commencing Dec.16 and ending by Dec. 30.
“After the deadline, all SIMs without NINs are to be blocked from the networks.
“A Ministerial Task Force comprising the Minister and all the CEOs (among others) as members is to monitor compliance by all networks.
“Violations of this directive will be met by stiff sanctions, including the possibility of withdrawal of operating license.”
