The Nigerian Communications Commission has announced September 14, 2024, as the final deadline for the ongoing National Identity Number and Subscriber Identity Module linkage exercise.
In a statement signed by the NCC’s Director of Public Affairs, Reuben Mouka, on Wednesday, the regulator also announced that over 153 million SIMs had been successfully linked to NINs, leaving only four per cent of mobile users yet to comply with the directive.
The commission warned that failure to do so will result in consequences, including the risk of having their mobile services disconnected.
“To ensure full compliance with the NIN-SIM linkage policy, the NCC has directed all Mobile Network Operators to complete the mandatory verification and linkage of SIMs to NINs by September 14, 2024. Effective September 15, 2024, the commission expects that no SIM operating in Nigeria will be without a valid NIN,” the telecom regulator stated.
The NCC assured the public that the SIM-NIN linkage exercise was aimed at enhancing national security, improving the integrity of the mobile network, and curbing fraudulent activities.
