Why MTN, Glo, Airtel, 9Mobile, Others Agreed With FG To Block All SIMs Without NINs 

Details have emerged why tele communications giants agreed with the Federal Government to block all SIMs card without the National Identification Number (NIN).

BIGPENNGR.COM understands a serious threat to sanction and possibly withdraw the operating license of violators, is literally sitting at the bottom of the directives.

The agreement was reached at a meeting which had in attendance the Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) and Management of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), as well as the CEOs and Management staff of all service providers in the industry.

BIGPENNGR.COM had reported that the Nigerian Communications Commission, following a directives from Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, ,Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami) had barred South Africa MTN, Airtel, 9Mobile, Glo and other telecommunication giants from further sale and activation of new SIM cards.

Following the earlier directive on the suspension of new SIM registration by network operators, the Minister convened an urgent meeting of key stakeholders in the Communications industry on Monday, December 14, 2020.

At the meeting, the need to consolidate the achievements of last year’s SIM registration audit and improve the performance and sanity of the sector was exhaustively discussed and all stakeholders agreed that urgent drastic measures have now become inevitable to improve the integrity and transparency of the SIM registration process, Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde, Director, Public Affairs, NCC, said in a statement.

The following decisions were taken for immediate implementation by all Network Operators:

i.​Affirmation of the earlier directive to totally suspend registration of NEW SIMs by all operators.

ii.​Operators to require ALL their subscribers to provide valid National Identification Number (NIN) to update SIM registration records.

iii.​The submission of NIN by subscribers to take place within two weeks (from today December 16, 2020 and end by 30 December, 2020).

iv.​After the deadline, ALL SIMs without NINs are to be blocked from the networks.

v.​A Ministerial Task Force comprising the Minister and all the CEOs (among others) as members is to monitor compliance by all networks.

vi.​Violations of this directive will be met by stiff sanctions, including the possibility of withdrawal of operating license.

While regretting the inconveniences which the directives might cause, the NCC urged members of the public to ensure that their NINs are captured in their SIM registration data.