Based on the stakeholder’s request to make it easier for all citizens and legal residents in Nigeria to register for the National Identity Number (NIN), the government has agreed to extend the deadline for the NIN-SIM data verification to June 30, 2021.
This is coming even as the government disclosed that the exercise has recorded a significant process with almost 54 Million people obtaining their NIN. This, according to the government translates to up to 190 Million mobile numbers, since empirical evidence suggests that each unique NIN maps to 3 to 4 phone lines.
In a press statement jointly signed and issued by Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde and Mr Kayode Adegoke of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and Nigeria Identity Management Commission (NIMC) respectively after a virtual meeting chaired by the Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Pantami, the government also said the much-awaited Android enrolment system is now ready for deployment and this has the potential to significantly accelerate the speed and ease of enrolments.
At the meeting, which was also attended by Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof Adeolu Akande, the Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of NCC, Prof Umar Dambatta and the Director-General/CEO of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Engr Aliyu Azeez, it was also disclosed that telecom providers and other enrolment agents have also opened several centres across the country to make it easier for eligible citizens and residents to obtain and link their NINs.
Sections 27 and 29 of the National Identity Management Commission Act 2007 provides for the mandatory use of the National Identity Number for accessing several government services. This is similar to the use of Social Security Number and National Insurance Number for accessing services in the United States of America and the United Kingdom respectively.
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. Dr. Pantami wishes to thank Nigerians for their patience and compliance with the Federal Government’s directive on the NIN-SIM registration exercise. He again reiterated the government’s commitment to continue taking decisions aimed at easing the pains of the citizens with regard to issues related to NIN and SIM registration.
