The Federal Government has extended the deadline for National Identity Number (NIN) and SIM data verification to October 31 for Nigerian phone users to embrace the digital ID programme.
The decision to extend the deadline was made following a request by stakeholders to accommodate registration in hard-to-reach remote areas, foreigners and diplomatic missions, diaspora and address low enrolments in schools and hospitals, as evidenced by enrolment statistics, according to Dr Isa Pantami, Communications and Digital Economy Minister.
As of July 24, 2021, there are over 5,500 enrolment systems within and outside the country and “this would significantly ease the NIN enrolment process and subsequent linkage of NIN to SIM”, according to Pantami.
According to him, there are now a total of 59.8 million unique NIN enrolments, with average of 3 to 4 SIMs per NIN. “With the great number of enrolment centres within and outside the country, and many more coming up, every citizen, legal resident, and Nigerian citizens living in diaspora should be able to obtain their NINs.”
– Dr Isa Pantami, Communications and Digital Economy Minister.
Digital ID enrolment growing, Minister says
According to him, there are now a total of 59.8 million unique NIN enrolments, with average of 3 to 4 SIMs per NIN. “With the great number of enrolment centres within and outside the country, and many more coming up, every citizen, legal resident, and Nigerian citizens living in the diaspora should be able to obtain their NINs.”
The Minister says that the extension also followed a review of the progress of the exercise which indicated significant progress, “hence the need to consolidate the gains of the enrolment and NIN-SIM verification process across the country.”
Pantami, commends the Kano State government and other Nigerian States that have made NINs a key requirement for school enrolments and access to other important services.
“The Federal Government is also excited at the news that the use of NIN in the process of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) exam significantly reduced the challenge of exam malpractice”, he adds.
Professor Umar Garba Danbatta, Executive Vice Chairman of Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and Engr. Aliyu Azeez, Director-General/CEO of National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) also urged citizens and legal residents to use the extension opportunity to complete the process of enrolment and verification before the October 31 deadline.
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