The Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, has said using a Subscribers Identity Module (SIM) without a National Identification Number (NIN) is a punishable offence, adding that it attracts a 14-year jail term or fine.
The minister disclosed this on Thursday at a statehouse press briefing.
According to the Minister, NIN is mandatory, noting that a lot of transactions in the country are not supposed to be done without a NIN.
Recall that the registration of NIN became mandatory following a directive of the Federal Government asking the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to direct all network operators to block sim cards that are not linked to NIN.
Although the initial deadline was scheduled for January 19, however, FG, extended the deadline to April 6, in a bid to accommodate more Nigerians to register for the NIN.
As the scheduled deadline approaches, Pantami, has advised Nigerians to oblige with the directive of the Federal Government by registrating for the NIN.
According to him, the Nigerian Constitution stipulated a 14-year jail term for those yet to obtain their NIN.
Speaking further, the Minister, disclosed that about 51 million Nigerians have registered for their NIN, as of March 31, 2021.
He also added that about 150million have successfully completed the registration of their NIN, as of now.
In his words, “We only said submit your national identity number to the mobile operator, then citizens said we don’t have it, let’s go and obtain it, then the first question, why did you fail to obtain it until when the issue of SIM came up. National Identity is a law and it’s mandatory and for you to conduct certain activities without the number is an offence. For you to get a voters card in Nigeria based on Section 27 of NIMC Act, it is an offence. For you to open a bank account without a National Identity Number is an offence. For you to pay tax is an offence. For you to collect pension it is an offence. For you to enjoy any government service without having a National Identity Number is an offence. Section 29 says ‘if you do any of these in Sec 27 without obtaining National Identity, you have commited a crime that will lead to fine or imprisonment or both of them and this is 14 years note today.
“NIN is mandatory, SIM is not mandatory, it is optional. If I say I will not use SIM in Nigeria, nobody will take me to court. It is optional, but this number is mandatory. So, why do we fail to comply to mandatory law until and unless we want to enjoy the privilege of using a SIM which is optional in our lives. However as the minister of communications, I will appreciate it if you continue using your SIM. The complete enrollment so far is over 150 million not to talk of the pending ones because there are some with challenges. One of the major challenges we have encountered recently is in the process of verifying biometrice of the NIN number and that of SIM, you will discover NIMC has a template that you must capture ten fingers and in capturing you must ensure that you get the biometric right. But what we inherited in SIM registration is the heads of the fingers like this (upside down). People just thumbprint with heads. So, when you try to capture you will see it will not match. So, this is one of the major challenges.”
