FG orders telcos to block SIMs without NINs

All Subscriber Identification Modules (SIMs) that are not registered with valid National Identification Numbers on the network of telecommunications companies shall be blocked, after December 30, the Federal Government has said.

It was gathered in Abuja on Tuesday that the declaration was part of resolutions reached during an urgent meeting of key stakeholders in the communications industry that was convened by the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami.

The spokesperson of the Nigerian Communications Commission, Ikechukwu Adinde, said in a statement issued in Abuja that the meeting was convened following the earlier directive on the suspension of new SIM registration by network operators.

He stated that at the meeting, the need to consolidate the achievements of last year’s SIM registration audit and improve the performance and sanity of the sector was discussed. The NCC said stakeholders agreed that urgent drastic measures had now become inevitable to improve the integrity and transparency of the SIM registration process.

The commission outlined decisions taken for immediate implementation by all network operators to include the affirmation of the earlier directive to totally suspend registration of new SIMs by all operators.