90 Million Nigerian Telco Subscribers Face Deactivation Amidst Low NIN Registration
A significant portion of Nigeria’s mobile telephony users stands on the brink of service disruption, as a staggering 90 million telco subscribers risk deactivation of their SIM cards. This imminent threat looms due to slow progress in the mandatory National Identity Number (NIN) registration and SIM card linkage exercise. Despite ongoing efforts by the federal government, only 57.3 million Nigerians have successfully completed their NIN registration, leaving a vast majority of the population and millions of active mobile lines vulnerable to disconnection.
The Urgent Imperative for Digital Identity in Nigeria
The current statistics underscore a critical challenge for Nigeria’s digital future. Mr. Aliyu Aziz, Director-General of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), recently revealed that the 57.3 million registered NINs represent a mere 28.65% of the nation’s estimated 200 million population. This update came during a vital workshop in Abuja focused on co-creating a Roadmap for a digital registration system as part of the Civil Registration and Vital Statistics System (CRVS) in Nigeria. The Director-General’s disclosure highlights the immense task ahead, especially given the strict government directive. The NIN is now a compulsory requirement for all new SIM registrations, and existing subscribers are mandated to submit their unique identification number to telecommunications operators for linkage with all their active SIM cards. The National Communications Commission (NCC) has unequivocally stated that any SIM cards not linked to a valid NIN will eventually be deactivated. This policy, aimed at bolstering national security and fostering a robust digital identity ecosystem, has unfortunately faced a slow uptake among telephony subscribers, making the prospect of millions of disconnections a stark reality for the African tech landscape.
The ongoing sluggish pace of NIN-SIM linkage poses a massive operational hurdle for telcos and a considerable inconvenience for millions of citizens who rely on mobile services for daily communication, commerce, and access to vital information. Without accelerated compliance, Nigeria’s digital economy faces significant disruption, impacting everything from financial transactions to emergency services. The federal government, NIMC, and telcos must intensify efforts to streamline the process and encourage registration to avert a widespread communication blackout for nearly half of the country’s mobile users.
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