The Nigerian Communications Commission has commenced the implementation of the new Subscriber Identification Module Cards rules in the country.
The NCC Director of Public Affairs, Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde, made this known in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja.
Adinde said the implementation followed the earlier directive on the suspension of new SIM registration by network operators by the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Pantami.
He said the Minister had convened an urgent meeting of key stakeholders in the communications industry.
According to him, the meeting had in attendance the NCC Management, National Information Technology Development Agency, National Identity Management Commission and CEOs of Service Providers in the industry.
He said the need to consolidate the achievements of the 2019 SIM registration audit and improve the performance to sanitise sector was exhaustively discussed at the meeting.
He also disclosed that all stakeholders agreed that drastic measures have become inevitable to improve the integrity and transparency of the SIM registration process.
Adinde said to this end, the following decisions were taken for immediate implementation by all Network Operators: “Affirmation of the earlier directive to totally suspend registration of NEW SIMs by all operators.
“Operators to require all their subscribers to provide valid National Identification Number (NIN) to update SIM registration records.
“The submission of NIN by subscribers to take place within two weeks, commencing December 16 and ending by December 30.
“After the deadline, all SIMs without NINs are to be blocked from the networks.
“A Ministerial Task Force comprising the Minister and all the CEOs (among others) as members is to monitor compliance by all networks.
“Violations of this directive will be met by stiff sanctions, including the possibility of withdrawal of operating license.”
Adinde urged Nigerians to ensure that their NINs were captured in their SIM registration data, adding that all inconveniences which might be occasioned by the directive were deeply regretted.
