Nigerians without NIN to be denied driver’s licence, passport

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) during the NCC Digital Signature (NDS) radio programme, has urged telecoms consumers to link their National Identity Numbers (NINs) with their Subscriber Identity Modules (SIMs) before the expiration of the deadline on October 31, 2021, set by the Federal Government.

The Commission also discussed the benefits of NIN-SIM integration to commemorate the 2nd episode of Telecoms Consumer Town Hall on Radio (TCTHR) live on a radio station in Lagos recently.

“Soon, people without NIN will be denied necessary services that play vital roles in their lives including the acquisition of driver’s license, international passport,” Ikechukwu Adinde, Director, Public Affairs, NCC, said.

TCTHR is a consumer outreach programme of the NCC previously held in semi-urban areas but now modified to be radio-based, in order to reach every telecom consumer and as part of the Commission’s response to the efforts of the Federal Government to contain the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.

Representatives of the NCC, the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and officials of telecoms operators were present at the live, phone-in programme. This provided an opportunity for listeners to call and get clarifications on concerns and issues around NIN-SIM integration exercise.

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Adinde further explained the benefits of the NIN-SIM integration. “The exercise will significantly enhance national security as NIN is the primary identity for Nigerians. In line with the Federal Government’s commitment to ensure that Nigeria deploys technology to improve service delivery, the NIN-SIM database will enhance citizens’ access to government services,” he said.

Efosa Idehen, Director, Consumer Affairs Bureau of NCC, noted that most Nigerians still use SIMs without unique identification, as they were yet to link their NINs to their SIMs, pointing out that those SIMs without unique identification could be used to commit crimes that remain untraceable.

“Security should be the responsibility of all citizens and not be left in the hands of the government alone, we, therefore, urge telecoms consumers to take advantage of the October 31, 2021 deadline to enrol with NIMC, get their NIN and link same with their SIM to avoid denial of essential services in future,” Idehen said.

Regional Director, NIMC in Lagos, Funmi Opesanwo, noted that submission of NIN to a mobile network provider helps in providing a means of verifying an individual’s identity and safeguarding both identity and mobile line.

“For instance, Bank Verification Number (BVN) is being harmonised with the NIMC database. Therefore, BVN holders have automatically been allocated NIN and we advise BVN holders to dial *346# with the mobile number linked to BVN to confirm their integration. However, NINs generated via BVN must be verified and validated by NIMC through proper registration and biometrics capture at an enrollment center,” she said.

The first episode of the TCTHR programme, aimed at empowering consumers through information sharing, education and protection initiatives, was held in Kano in August, 2021 on NCC Digital Signature.