By JESSICA DOGO

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has announced Sept. 14 as final deadline for National Identity Number and Subscriber Identity Module (NIN-SIM) linkage.

The Director of Public Affairs, NCC, Dr Reuben Muoka, who disclosed this in a statement in Abuja on Wednesday, described as a significant progress, the Federal Governments 2020 policy to link all NIN-SIM in the country.

Muoka said up until date, about 153 million SIMs had been successfully linked to NINs, reflecting an impressive compliance rate of 96 per cent, adding that it recorded a substantial increase from 69.7 per cent in January 2024.

As we approach the final phase of this critical process, the NCC seeks the continued cooperation of all Nigerians to achieve 100 per cent compliance.

The complete linkage of all SIM cards to NINs is essential for enhancing the trust and security of our digital economy.

By verifying all mobile users, this policy strengthens confidence in digital transactions, reduces the risk of fraud and cybercrime, and supports greater participation in e-commerce, digital banking and mobile money services.

This, in turn, promotes financial inclusion and drives economic growth.

He said that through collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), the NCC had uncovered alarming cases.

He said the cases were incidents where individuals possessed an unusually high number of SIM cards, adding that some exceeded 100,000.

The Commission also remains committed to working with security agencies and other stakeholders to crack down on the sale of pre-registered SIMs, thereby safeguarding national security and ensuring the integrity of mobile numbers in Nigeria.

To ensure full compliance with the NIN-SIM linkage policy, the NCC has directed all Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) to complete the mandatory verification and linkage of SIMs to NINs by Sept. 14, 2024.

Effective Sept. 15, 2024, the Commission expects that no SIM operating in Nigeria will be without a valid NIN.

He urged members of the public who have not completed their NIN-SIM linkage, or who have faced issues due to verification mismatches, to visit their service providers promptly to update their details before the deadline.

Alternatively, the approved self-service portals are available for this purpose.

The NCC also reminds the public that the sale and purchase of pre-registered SIMs are criminal offences punishable by imprisonment and fines.

We encourage citizens to report any such activities to the Commission via our toll-free line (622), or through our social media platforms, he said. (NAN)