Nigerian Government extends NIN-SIM Verification deadline to July 26 ─Regulators

*The Federal Government of Nigeria extends the deadline for NIN-SIM data verification, and urges citizens as well as legal residents in the country to take the opportunity to complete the process of enrolment and verification

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

The Federal Government of Nigeria has approved the extension of the deadline for NIN-SIM data verification to Monday, July 26, 2021.

The decision to extend the deadline was made after a request by stakeholders on the need to consolidate the enrolment and NIN-SIM verification process following the rapid increase in the number of enrolment systems across the country.

Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde, Director of Public Affairs, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), and Mr. Kayode Adegoke, Head of Corporate Communications at the Nigeria Identity Management Commission (NIMC), disclosed this in a joint statement issued June 29, 2021, in Abuja, FCT.

The Commissions stated that as of June 28, 2021, a total of 5,410 enrolment systems are now available across the country, and this would significantly ease the NIN enrolment process and subsequent linkage of NIN to SIM.

It is worthy of note that there were only about 800 such enrolment systems as of December 2020.

The Federal Government has approved the extension as part of its effort at making it easier for its citizens and residents to obtain the NIN.

It is important to take advantage of the extension, said the statement.

According to the regulatory agencies, there are now a total of 57.3 million unique NIN enrolments, with average of 3 to 4 SIMs per NIN.

With the great number of enrolment centres across the country, every citizen and legal resident should be able to obtain their NINs.

Meanwhile, Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, FNCS, FBCS, FIIM, Honourable Minister for Communications and Digital Economy, on behalf of the Federal Government, appreciates Nigerians for their patience and compliance with the Federal Government’s directive on the NIN-SIM registration exercise.

Prof. Umar Garba Dambatta, Executive Vice-Chairman (EVC) of the Nigerian Communications Commission, and Engr. Aliyu Azeez, Director-General/Chief Executive Officer (CEO), National Identity Management Commission, urge citizens and legal residents to ensure they take the opportunity to complete the process of enrolment and verification, the statement added.