SIM Registration: NIMC Issues Fresh NIN Enrolment Guideline

A file photo of NCC logo and some SIM cards.

 The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has adopted the “booking system” for applicants to obtain their National Identity Number (NIN).

“Mindful of the second wave of the COVID-19 which continues to severely affect public health and cause unprecedented disruptions, the commission wishes to announce that it has adopted a couple of measures to contain the spread of the virus whilst ensuring its services to Nigerians are not entirely interrupted,” the NIMC began in a Tuesday statement it tagged “NIMC Adopts Booking System For NIN Enrolment.”

“Effective December 30, 2020, attending to applicants would be based on Booking System. For Bookings, applicants are to visit any of the NIMC Offices closest to them during stipulated business hours (9 am – 1 pm).

“Once admitted into the office, a Number-Issuing queue management system will be in place to ensure orderliness and strict adherence to Covid-19 Protocols.”

The NIMC equally urged all NIN applicants to adhere strictly to the COVID-19 safety protocols which include wearing of facemasks, washing of hands and the observance of social distancing at all registration centres across Nigeria.

The Nigerian government had earlier this month mandated telecommunications operators in the country to block all Subscriber Identification Modules (SIMs)without NIN and initially gave the companies two weeks to carry out the task.

 

Nigerians at the NIMC in Abuja.

 

Although the deadline was extended from December 30 to January 19, 2021, thousands of Nigerians had thronged NIMC registration centres across the nation to beat the ultimatum, defying the COVID-19 protocols amid a surge in the number of cases in the West African country.

 

Nigerians at the NIMC in Abuja.

 

From Abuja to Lagos, the story is the same. Many of the applicants appealed to the government to create more registration centres to ease the process and consider extending the deadline further.

One of the enrollees told Channels Television that he arrived at the NIMC office as early as 1:00 am and still, he was yet to commence the process as at 10:00 am.

Airtel nigeria gets NIN Enrolment License

  

                                       

The Federal Government of Nigeria has granted Airtel Nigeria, a confirmation and enrolment license to register citizens in the incomplete National Identification Number (NIN) programme The approval was enclosed in a notice issue recently by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC). 

With the approval, Nigerians can now complete their NIN registration process at any accredited Airtel channel nationwide. 

Commenting on this improvement, the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Segun Ogunsanya, highly praised the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Pantami, for expanding the registration track and for taking definitive steps to smoothen the NIN process as well as no difficulty the burden on Nigerians. 

Airtel is always seeking opportunities to cooperate and partner with the Nigerian government on initiatives that will make life easier and better for Nigerians.As a law abiding and responsible corporate civilian, we are always ready to go the extra mile for our respected stakeholders and that is why we are pleased to associate with the Federal Government and NIMC on citizens’ registration exercise,” he said. 

Foreign nationals are required to present their international passports only to register a new SIM when the restriction on registration of new sims is lifted, he added.

NIN: Telecom operators get NIMC enrolment licences

Mobile network operators (MNOs) on Wednesday said they have enrollment and verification licences from the Federal Government.

The development followed the stampede that was witnessed at the registration centres of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) across the country earlier this week,

Acting under the aegis of the Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), the group said it will continue to work with the Federal Government to ensure the success of the directive to deactivate subscriber identity modules (SIMs) not linked with their owners National Identity Number (NIN).

NIMC on Wednesday dismissed as fake, news that its data base had been breached by hackers. Its spokesman, Kayode Adegoke, said: “NIMC would like to assure the public that there have been no such breaches or incidents. Investigations on the alleged data dump were found to be non-existent in the National Identity Database.

“The Commission investigated the data breach claim and found out that the database schema presented by the adversary does not tally with the existing schema of NIMC records. The data being posted by criminals purporting to contain citizens’ information is fake.

“The NIMC guarantees the security of the National Identity Database through various layers of security and can assure that no data was breached.

“The members of the general public are, therefore, enjoined to refrain from spreading false reports on the purported data breach.”

Communications and Digital Economy Minister, Dr Ibrahim Pantami had directed the MNOs to deactivate SIMs not linked with NINs and threatened hefty sanctions to non-complaint operators including withdrawal of operating licence.