The Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Aminu Maida has stated that the Commission all the Subscriber Identity Module (SIM)cards not linked to the National Identification Number (NIN) will be deactivated at the end of February, 2024
The NCC boss, who disclosed this while speaking to journalists on Tuesday in Abuja, added that the deactivation will be
implemented.
Maida explained that the compulsory linkage of SIM to NIN started in December 2020 with several extensions of deadlines but many phone lines are yet to be linked.
“By the end of this month, SIMs without NIN will no longer work.”
Maida said the policy was expected to help the authorities in fighting bandits and terrorists who kidnap and kill innocent people daily.
“But about three years later, Maida remarked that it is not clear if the SIM-NIN connection has helped in the fight against insecurity because terrorists have continued to attack Nigerians.
“Pre-registered or illegally registered SIM has been a challenge for a long time.
“In 2021, there was a policy to link NIN with SIMs thinking that such will take care of the problem but people in the value chain lashed out on loopholes.
“But you are going to see a change in the way we make decisions; we are going to be very data-driven.
“All our decisions are going to be backed up by data as much as possible.
“We want to reduce subjectiveness and make the right decisions that will improve the industry.
“We intend to hold our licensees accountable for all services.
Speaking further, he hinted that after all the consumers pay for the services and they expect the service to be at a certain level or point, adding that NCC will be holding its licensees accountable to ensure they deliver on their obligations to their licenses.
About The Author
