Federal Government has directed all mobile network providers to block the simcards of subscribers who fail to update their simcard registration records before December 30, 2020.

Recall that TheNewsBeam reported that the Federal Government had instructed mobile operators to suspend simcards registration exercise inorder to consolidate the achievements of last year’s SIM registration audit.

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The new directive to include the National Indentification Number (NIN) as a requirement for sim registration is to improve the integrity and transparency of the SIM registration process.

This directive was given by the Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami), at an urgent meeting of key stakeholders in the Communications industry on Monday, December 14, 2020.

According to the report of the meeting compiled by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the stakeholders without objection resolved to implement the following:

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i. Affirmation of the earlier directive to totally suspend registration of NEW SIMs by all operators.

ii. Operators to require ALL their subscribers to provide valid National Identification Number (NIN) to update SIM registration records.

iii. The submission of NIN by subscribers to take place within two weeks (from today December 16, 2020 and end by 30 December, 2020).

iv. After the deadline, ALL SIMs without NINs are to be blocked from the networks.

v. A Ministerial Task Force comprising the Minister and all the CEOs (among others) as members is to monitor compliance by all networks.

vi. Violations of this directive will be met by stiff sanctions, including the possibility of withdrawal of operating license.

Federal House of Representatives Kicks Against 2-Week Ultimatum

During the plenary session held on Wednesday, December 16, 2020, the House of Representatives has kicked against the Federal Government’s 2-week ultimatum stipulated for the update of the sim registration records, therefore, called for a 10-week ultimatum.

The motion to demand more time for the update was moved by the Minority Leader, Ndudi Elumelu. The House agreed that the exercise should end on January 28, 2021, as against December 30, 2020.