FG Extends NIN-SIM linkage till end of 2021

The deadline for NIN-SIM data verification has been extended by the federal government until the end of 2021.

This was said in a joint statement issued on Saturday by the Nigerian Communications Commission’s Director of Public Affairs, Dr Ikechukwu Adinde, and the Nigeria Identity Management Commission’s Head, Corporate Communications, Mr Kayode Adegoke.

‘Stakeholders Applaud the NIN-SIM Verification Exercise as the FG Urges Citizens and Legal Residents to Enrol Before the End of the Year,’ said the statement.

The extension was issued in response to requests from Mobile Network Operators and other industry stakeholders for more time to ensure better compliance, according to the statement.

“The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Pantami, has conveyed the Federal Government’s permission to extend the deadline for the National Identity Number-Subscriber Identity Module data verification,” the statement stated. Citizens and legal residents are encouraged to finish the process by the end of 2021.

“The decision to extend the deadline was made in response to requests from Mobile Network Operators and other technology firms for a further extension in order to achieve better compliance with the government’s directive and avoid expanding the digital divide.”

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The extension would also create an enabling environment for the registration of Nigerians in remote areas, the diaspora, schools, hospitals, and worship centers, as well as foreigners, diplomatic missions, and those in previously unreachable areas, and increase enrolments in countries with a large Nigerian population.”

According to the announcement, there are over 9,500 enrolment systems and over 8,000 NIN enrolment centers available.

Since the enrolling process began, 66 million unique NIN enrolments have been captured, with an average of three to four SIMs linked to the NIN, according to the press statement.