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The National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers (NATCOMS) has urged the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to extend the deadline for the National Identification Number (NIN) and Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) linkage, citing ongoing issues with the National Identity Management Commission’s (NIMC) portal.
Deolu Ogunbanjo, the National President of NATCOMS, highlighted significant challenges with the NIMC portal, noting that its inability to handle the high volume of uploads has led to delays and frustration for both telecom operators and subscribers.
“Telecom operators are facing a bottleneck due to the NIMC portal’s limited capacity. This has caused undue stress for both operators and their subscribers, with long queues and delayed processing times at customer service centres,” Ogunbanjo said, following visits to the offices of major telecom companies like MTN and Airtel.
Ogunbanjo called on the NCC to provide an extension to allow NIMC to upgrade its infrastructure and improve the overall experience for telecom users trying to comply with the directive.
In August 2024, the NCC reported that 96% of SIMs had been successfully linked to a NIN, a significant increase from the 69.7% compliance rate recorded in January of the same year. Over 153 million SIM cards have been linked, but despite this progress, approximately 66 million active lines remain unlinked and are at risk of disconnection. According to NCC data from March 2024, Nigeria has 219 million active mobile lines across operators like MTN, Glo, Airtel, and 9mobile.
The policy, which aims to enhance security and reduce fraud, was first introduced by the federal government in December 2020, and the NCC has since issued several deadline extensions. The latest deadline is set for September 14, 2024, after previous extensions moved it from February 28 to April 15, and later to July 31. If NATCOMS’ request for another extension is granted, it would mark the fifth time the deadline has been pushed this year.
NATCOMS’ appeal emphasizes the need for a more efficient system to ensure that all Nigerians can comply without further disruptions to their communication services.
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