Uche Amunike
The federal government has approved the extension of the deadline for the National Identification Number- Subscriber Identity Module, NIN–SIM verification to July 26,2021.
This was made public in a statement signed by Dr Ikechukwu Adinde, Director, Public Affairs, Nigerian Communications Commission,(NCC), in Abuja.
In a statement which was co-signed by Mr Kayode Adegoke, Head of Corporate Communications, National Identity Management Commission,(NIMC), it was made clear that the extension was done as a result of requests made by stakeholders, even as the Federal Government also approved the increase in enrollment system to 5,410.
‘The decision to extend the deadline was made after a request by stakeholders on the need to consolidate the enrolment and NIN-SIM verification process following the rapid increase in the number of enrolment systems across the country’.
‘As at June 28, 2021, a total of 5,410 enrolment systems are now made available across the country and this would significantly ease the NIN enrolment process and subsequent linkage of NIN to SIM’.
‘It is worthy to note that there were only about 800 of such enrolment systems as at December 2020’, it said.
The extension by the Federal Government was made as a part of her efforts to make it easier for citizens and residents to obtain the NIN, so it’s important to take advantage of it.
It noted that there were a total of 57.3m unique NIN enrollments with an average of 3 to 4 SIMS per NIN and also that every citizen and legal residents should be able to obtain their NINs considering the great number of enrollment centres across the country.
It quoted the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Pantai as saying, that the Federal Government appreciates Nigerians for their patience and compliance with its directive on the NIN-SIM registration exercise.
The statement further quoted the executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Prof Umar Dambatta and the Director General of NIMC, Aliyu Azeez, urging citizens and legal residents to ensure that they complete the enrollment and verification process with this opportunity.
“As at June 28, 2021, a total of 5,410 enrolment systems are now available across the country and this would significantly ease the NIN enrolment process and subsequent linkage of NIN to SIM.
Nearly 190 million mobile numbers have been linked to their NINs and this can translate to up to 54 Million people, since empirical evidence suggests that each unique NIN maps to three to four phone lines.
Recall that there were only about 800 such enrolment systems as at December 2020 until the recent increase. Also, the Android enrollment system aided in the deployment that greatly brought about the potential acceleration of the speed and ease of enrollments.
Telecom providers and other enrollment agents have opened several centres across the country to make it easier for eligible citizens and residents to obtain and link their NINs.
