Chidi Ogbuokiri
The Federal Government has extended by six weeks the deadline for GSM subscribers to link their Subsriber Identification Module (SIM) to their National Identity Number (NIN).
This was the highlight of the meeting held Monday in Abuja by the National Task Force on National Identification Number and Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) Registration.
A statement released at the end of the meeting and signed by the Executive Vice Chairman of National Communication Commissions (NCC) and the Directir General Natioanl Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Prof. Umaru Dambata and Enfr. Aliyu Aziz respectively; disclosed that meeting which was chaired by the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ibrahim Pantami granted three weeks extension to subsribers that alreafy have NIN from December 30the to January 19, 2021.
Those that do not have NIN already were granted six week extentionmfrom December 30 to February 9, 2021.
The meeting was attended by major stakeholders in the sector including Chairman-Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC); Executive Vice Chairman (EVC), NCC; Director-General (DG), National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA); DG, National Identity Management Commission (NIMC); Executive Commissioner, Technical Services (ECTS), NCC.
Others include the Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management (ECSM), NCC; Chairman, Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON); Chief Executive Officers of MTN, Airtel, Ntel, Glo, Smile, and 9Moble.
Meanwhile, the statement indicated that NIMC has provided strategies to enable citizens to attend the registration in full compliance with Covid-19 protocols – particularly the use of facemasks which remains mandatory and maintenance of social distancing.
It stated that unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) and verification charges remain suspended during these extensions.
