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Agents appeal to Nigerian Government to lift ban on sales of SIM cards, others

A SIM Registration Centre in Abuja, FCT

*The Association of SIM Registration Agents in Nigeria says two million youths are now jobless with the suspension SIM card registration by the Federal Government

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

Following the recent directive to stop further activation of SIM cards, Association of SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) Registration Agents (ASREG) has urged Federal Government of Nigeria to lift suspension order placed on sales, registration, and activation of SIM cards in the country.

ASREG has based its appeal on reported hardship being faced by phone users in the country.

Kwara State branch of ASREG, in a statement, said that millions of Nigerian youths have been rendered jobless by the recent suspension order by the Federal Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy.

Federal Government had attributed ban on new SIM registration to rising insecurity across the country.

According to the authorities, access to pre-registered SIM cards had always aided criminals to perpetrate and get away with their acts of kidnapping, banditry, armed robbery and acts of terrorism.

Sunday Ajimoko, Chairman of the Association, “as a registered association under the Corporate Affairs Commission of the Federal Republic of Nigeria with the registration Number RC119510 we are fully in support of the Federal Government’s measures to protect the lives and properties of the citizenry.”

He, however, advised the Federal Government to tread carefully.

Available research works on causes of insecurity across the country had been linked primarily to youth unemployment, Ajimoko stated.

He noted that the suspension order may lead to worse form of insecurity especially on our economic activities.

The ASREG Chief noted that income of millions of youth who depend solely on sales, registration and activation of SIM cards had been placed on hold for now.

He said: “More importantly, the prospective buyers of new SIM cards expressed their disappointment over the absence of new SIM cards in the market due to the current suspension which has invariably affected the sales of phones and other gadgets.

“We therefore, wish to say that, the Federal Government can still achieve her desired objectives and results as well as avoiding creating more problems in an attempt to solve a problem if the suspension is reversed to avoid danger which the suspension may likely cause to the idle youths.

“We suggest that, no new SIM card should be able to synchronise without being paired with the subscriber’s National Identification Number while activating the linking of subscriber’s number with their respective NIN.”

Ajimoko, therefore, suggested that “sales of SIMs, registration and activation should be allowed to continue while the linking of SIM to NIN should be ongoing in order to achieve the desired results.”

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