BY FOLASHADE KEHINDE
THE Federal Government has extended the deadline it gave telecommunication service providers to link subscribers’ National Identification Numbers to their SIMs or block their lines.
The deadline has been extended by three weeks for subscribers with NIN, and by six weeks for subscribers without NIN.
This was disclosed in a statement by the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, on Monday, titled, “Extension of Registration Period and Cancellation of USSD and Verification Fees”.
The statement, jointly signed by the Executive Vice-Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission, Umar Danbatta; and Director-General, National Identity Management Commission, Aliyu Aziz, read, “The National Task Force on National Identification Number and SIM Registration met today, 21st December, 2020.
“The meeting was chaired by the Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Pantami with major stakeholders in the sector, including Chairman, NCC, EVC-NCC, DG-NITDA, DG-NIMC, ECTS/ECSM-NCC, Chairman ALTON, CEOs of MTN, Airtel, Ntel, Glo, Smile, and 9Moble in attendance.”
It said, “Based on the endorsement of the Federal Government of Nigeria, the following resolutions were made:
“Three (3) weeks extension for subscribers with NIN from 30th December, 2020 to 19th January, 2021; and
“Six (6) weeks extension for subscribers without NIN from 30th December, 2020 to 9th February, 2021.”
According to the statement, NIMC has provided strategies to enable citizens attend the registration in full compliance with COVID-19 protocols, particularly regarding “the use of facemasks which remains mandatory and maintenance of social distancing.”
The NCC had last week ordered telecommunications companies to block subscribers who failed to link their NIN with their SIMs by December 30, 2020.
This resulted in the large crowds that stormed the NIMC offices in Lagos on Monday, mainly to get their the National Identity Numbers.
Many Nigerians, including workers in the
Telecom industry, had kicked against the short deadline, saying achieving the directive would be a tall order.
