Breaking! FG Orders Telcos To Bar SIMs Not Link With NIN

Abiola Olawale
Writer
FG: Why 5% Excise Duty On Telecom Services Was Suspended

Ad

Trump slams Norway’s $2 trillion wealth fund over Caterpillar divestment

By Obinna Uballa The United States has slammed the decision by Norway’s sovereign wealth fund, the largest in the world with assets worth about $2 trillion, to sell its stake in United States machinery giant Caterpillar, describing the move as troubling and based on “illegitimate claims.” In recent weeks, Norges Bank Investment Management (NBIM), which…

Reaction as Police Invite El-Rufai, ADC Leaders Over Allegations against State government in Kaduna

By Abiola Olawale The Kaduna State Police Command has invited former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, and seven other members of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for questioning. The invitation, issued on September 4, 2025, cited allegations of criminal conspiracy, incitement of public disturbance, mischief, and causing grievous hurt. According to a letter signed…

Enugu tragic accidents: Dangote warns against unauthorised use of logo

• Denies involvement in Edo, Enugu accidents By Obinna Uballa Dangote Industries Limited (DIL) has renewed its warning to truck operators against the unauthorised use of its logo on vehicles not affiliated with the company, following two fatal crashes involving Dangote-branded trucks along the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway on Wednesday. The company stressed that despite repeated…

Ad

The Federal Government, on Monday has directed telecommunications operators in the country to bar all outgoing calls of Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) cards not yet linked with the National Identification Number (NIN).

Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, who made this announcement in a press statement issued on Monday, explained that the directive was part of the implementation of the NIN-SIM linkage Policy of the government.

With the development, all unlinked networks users of MTN, Globacom, Airtel, and 9mobile, will not be able to make calls from today, April 4, 2022.

In the statement which was jointly signed by the Director, Public Affairs, Nigerian Communications Commission, Ikechukwu Adinde; and Head, Corporate Communications, National Identity Management Commission, Kayode Adegoke, noted that all is set for the Federal Government to kickstart the implementation of the NIN-SIM Policy.

Recall that the FG had mandated telecommunications subscribers to link their SIMs with their NINs in December 2020. The government noted that the move was part of its administration’s security and social policies.

Giving updates in the statement, Pantami disclosed that over 125 million SIM cards have had their NINs submitted for linkage, verification and authentication while the NIMC has issued over 78 million NINs till date.

The statement partly reads, “Accordingly, Mr. President graciously approved the many requests to extend deadlines for the NIN-SIM linkage.

“At this point, however, Government has determined that the NIN-SIM Policy implementation can proceed, as machinery has already been put in place to ensure compliance by citizens and legal residents. The implementation impacts on Government’s strategic planning, particularly in the areas of security and socio-economic projections.

“President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the implementation of the Policy with effect from the 4th of April, 2022. Consequently, the Federal Government has directed all Telcos to strictly enforce the Policy on all SIMs issued (existing and new) in Nigeria.

“Outgoing calls will subsequently be barred for telephone lines that have not complied with the NIN-SIM linkage Policy from the 4th of April, 2022.

“Subscribers of such lines are hereby advised to link their SIMs to their NINs before the Telcos can lift the restriction on their lines. Affected individuals are hereby advised to register for their NINs at designated centres and thereafter link the NINs to their SIMs through the channels provided by NIMC and the Telcos, including the NIMC mobile App.”

Ad

X whatsapp