Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami has announced the approval of the Federal Government to further extend the deadline for the National Identification Number (NIN)-Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) data verification to the 31st of March, 2022.
Stakeholders have applauded the Federal Government on the significant growth in the number of NIN enrolments and the increased drive to enlighten Nigerians and legal residents across the country. As of 30th December 2021, the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has issued over seventy-one million (71m) NINs with over fourteen thousand (14,000) enrolment centres set up across the country.
Furthermore, the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has also set up enrolment centres in over thirty-one (31) countries to cater for Nigerians in the Diaspora. The unprecedented growth in the National Identity Database to over 71 million unique NINs in such a short period, with about 3 to 4 SIMs linked to a NIN, reflects the concerted effort of the Federal Government, the Nigerian populace and legal residents and this is truly commendable.
Following the request by stakeholders, including citizens, legal residents and Nigerians in the diaspora, the Federal Government has extended the deadline of the exercise to the 31st of March, 2022. This extension would enable the Federal Government to consolidate the gains of the process and accelerate the enrolment of Nigerians in key areas like the remote areas, diaspora, schools, hospitals, worship centres, and the registration of legal residents.
The Honourable Minister implored Nigerians and legal residents to enrol for their NINs and link with their SIMs during this period of extension as more services will be requiring the NIN for identification. He also reiterated the commitment of the Federal Government to support the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) in ensuring that the objectives of the exercise are achieved.
The Minister, the Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of NCC, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, and the Director-General/CEO of NIMC, Engr. Aliyu A. Aziz, on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria thanked all Nigerians and stakeholders for their commitment and support towards the success of the project. They also applauded the efforts of their respective staff in ensuring a seamless NIN-SIM linkage and urged citizens and legal residents to complete the process of enrolment, verification, and SIM linkage on or before 31st March 2022.
The Federal Government had at various times shifted grounds with regards to the timeline for the NIN-SIM linkage. The last two shifts occured on June 30, 2021 when the registration was given additional grace period till July 26 2021. On July 26, the Federal Government again announced an additional shift till October 31, 2021.
Experts are of the opinion that until Government becomes more decisive with it’s timeline for the policy, the Registration may well continue to hold ad infinitum.