NIN/file

The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy  Isa Pantami has on Wednesday said that National Identity Number (NIN) will now be a basic requirement for SIM card registration.

Concise News understands foreigners would make use of their passports and visas.

Pantami also said the the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) as the regulatory body should ensure that SIM subscribers can easily check the number of SIM cards registered to their name, along with the associated phone numbers and networks.

He said “Only fully accredited agents should support the SIM card registration process without pre-registering SIM cards themselves, while the eventual registration should be done by the operators.”

The minister directed the NCC to take responsibility for the review of the policy on SIM Card registration and usage.

“This is in line with the Powers of the Minister as stated in Section 25(1) of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003- “the Minister shall, in writing, from time to time notify the Commission or and express his views on the general policy direction of the Federal Government in respect of the communications sector,” he stated quoting the legal provision that empowers him to embark on the review.

In a statement issued by Dr Femi Adeluyi, his Technical Assistant (Information Technology), the revision of the policy is also based on the feedback received from the security agencies following the successful revalidation of improperly registered SIM cards in September 2020 and the blocking of those that failed to revalidate their SIMs.

. National Identity Number Now Required For SIM Card Registration- FG Follow Concise News.