The Federal Government has stated that it will not extend the deadline for the registration of all Subscriber Identification Modules (SIMs) with valid National Identity Numbers (NIN).
Asked by The Punch whether the Federal Government had eventually advised the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) as regards the deadlines for SIM registration with NIN, the Director, Public Affairs, NCC, Ikechukwu Adinde, said nothing has changed.
“The deadlines are still in force; there is no update for now and just like I told you last week if there is any change you will be communicated,” Adinde stated on Sunday.
There have been growing calls for the deadline to be extended due to the large crowds that gather daily at the various offices of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), as many telephone subscribers had yet to get their NINs.
Naija News reports that the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, had said after December 30, 2020, all SIMs that were not registered with valid NINs on the network of telecommunications companies would be blocked.
It later extended the December 30, 2020 deadline following widespread opposition against the earlier announcement and gave three weeks’ extension for subscribers with NIN from December 30, 2020 to January 19, 2021.
It also gave six week-extension for subscribers without NIN from December 30, 2020 to February 9, 2021.