FG orders disconnection of every SIM not synchronized with valid NIN by December 30th

The Federal government has directed all Network operators in the country to disconnect every SIM card not synchronized with valid National Identity Number (NIN) by December 30th. 

According to Vanguard, this came after an urgent meeting of key stakeholders in the Communications industry convened by the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami) on Monday, December 14, 2020. 

The meeting in its resolution insisted that all telecom operators must from Thursday, December 16, 2020 require all their subscribers to provide valid National Identification Number (NIN) to update SIM registration records, Vanguard reports.

Consequently, part of the resolutions reached at the meeting is that the submission of NIN by subscribers should take place within two weeks (from today December 16, 2020 and end by 30 December, 2020).

To this end, other decisions taken for immediate implementation by all Network operators include: . 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 and after the deadline, all SIMs without NINs are to be blocked from the networks. 

Also, the meeting ended with the setting up of a Ministerial Task Force comprising the Minister and all the CEOs among others as members is to monitor compliance by all networks. 

According to them, violations of this directive will be met by stiff sanctions, including the possibility of withdrawal of operating license. 

They however, urged the general public to ensure that their NINs are captured in their SIM registration data and apologized for all inconveniences which might be occasioned by this directive. 

The meeting had in attendance the Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) and Management of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), as well as the CEOs and Management staff of all service providers in the industry. 

It will be recalled that the Minister had in September last year directed the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to carry out SIM registration audit, which led to the disconnection of about 9.2 million unregistered SIMs nationwide, following the rising rate of insecurity in the country. 

Source: Vanguard