- As Lagos Office Suspends Registration
The grim fear of losing SIM cards not link with citizens’ National Identification Numbers (NINs) by December 30 has become the precipice for chaos and confusion across the country as Nigerians race to meet the deadline, poorly communcated at short notice.
This is happening amid the uptick in the number of positive Coronavirus cases and deaths in the country, as well as the ongoing yuletide festivities.
The federal government last week direct Telcos to disconnect phone subscribers whose SIM cards are not linked to NIN from their networks.
Nigeria has 99.5 million active phone users, but only about 42 million of that figure have been registered for the NIN.
A directive was also issued to Telcos to suspend new SIM registration in the country.
The idea to link SIMs to NIN cannot be faulted, but Nigerians view the deliberate attempt by the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and industry stakeholders to get it done in two weeks as overreaching.
The rush to register for the NIN is increasingly becoming nauseating for Nigerians as mammoth crowd besiege registration centres nationwide since the announcement was made last week.
As the clock ticks out on the deadline for the NIN registration, Nigerians besieging the centres care less about the Covid-19 protocols — they just want to save their SIMs from being blocked from respective networks.
With the reality of the second wave of the virus dawning on the nation, many have argued the move is an antithesis to guidelines issued by the Presidential Taskforce on Covid-19 and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to curtail the spread of the rampaging virus.
Worried by the frustration suffered by people in trying to register for the NIN and the Covid-19 incubation, The New Diplomat gathered the Ikeja-Lagos office of National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has suspended registration.
The office stopped the registration around 11:30 am, Monday.
Recall last Wednesday, the House of Representatives had faulted the ultimatum given to Nigerian phone users, calling on Federal Government to extend the deadline for the update of the SIM registration from 30th December 30, 2020, to 28th February 2021.
Outraged by the chaotic rush for the NIN registration, Nigerians have been reacting harshly to the poorly conceived directive.
Dear @jidesanwoolu, when are you going to order the closure of NIMC office at Alausa for flouting the recent Covid-19 guidelines?
— Wale Adetona (@iSlimfit) December 21, 2020
It is like we should report this govt to foreigner bodies like WHO etc.
This NIMC registration is a breeding ground for covid-19 and FG is contravening covid-19 guidelines.
I urge govt to stop the process immediately!
— Morris Monye (@Morris_Monye) December 21, 2020
The scene yesterday at the NAIA, Abuja @hadisirika. This happened to people who squeezed out 100k or more for tickets. Imagine what'll happen at NIMC centres when @DrisaPantami's brainwave begins. Thanks for helping COVID-19. pic.twitter.com/iD1yhOz0m2
— Chuks Akunna (@akunnachux) December 21, 2020
