The Federal Government has approved the establishment of dedicated Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) Swap Centres across the 744 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the country.
This decision was reached on Wednesday at the 4th review meeting of the Ministerial Task Force on the National Identification Number (NIN)-SIM registration in Abuja, according to statement jointly signed by Dr Ikechukwu Adinde, Director, Public Affairs, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and Mr Kayode Adegoke, Head, Corporate Communications, Nigeria Identify Management Commission (NIMC).
Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Pantami, who presided over the meeting, tasked the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), to work NIMC and mobile network operators (MNOs), and urgently come up with a framework for the establishment of the centres in the 774 LGAs of the country. Patantami said that the framework for the establishment must begin with critical and feasible locations.
The meeting also approved the extension of tenure for National Identity Number (NIN) registration by MNOs and also extended the enrolment license tenure of NIN Enrolment Agent Licensees for MNOs from one to five years based on their satisfactory performance, subject to continuous monitoring.
The statement further indicated that approval has been given to MNOs for the establishment of dedicated SIM Swap Centres across the Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Nigeria.
“The Technical Committee was mandated to complete the development of a new SIM issuance strategy that cannot be compromised. This will ensure that there is no repeat of the past process that was compromised through pre-registration by some agents.
“A Multi-Sectoral Ad hoc committee was tasked to immediately complete the review of the processes for new SIM activations for legal residents staying in Nigeria for less than 24 months.The membership of the Committee was drawn from NCC, NIMC, Nigeria Immigration Service and the Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON).”
While noting that MNOs that had service centres in vital locations in LGAs were expected to upgrade the centres to a level where they could qualify as SIM swap centres to reduce the challenges associated with the SIM swap process for citizens. It said the purpose was to bring SIM Swap Centres closer to Nigerians regardless of their location.
The Minister expressed appreciation to Nigerians for their patience and compliance with the government’s directive on the exercise, and briefed President Muhammadu Buhari was briefed on the activities of the Ministerial Task Force. He said that President Buhari commended the achievement recorded so far and urged the Minister and other stakeholders to maintain the tempo.
Pantami, who also appreciated Nigerians for their patience and compliance with the government’s directive on the NIN-SIM registration exercise, which had many benefits to the country and its citizens, pledged government’s commitment to continually take decisions aimed at easing the pains of the citizens with regard to issues related to NIN and SIM registration.
Executive Vice-Chairman of the NCC, Prof Umar Danbatta, briefed the meeting on the outcome of the Senate Investigative Hearing on 5G Deployment in Nigeria. He said, “All stakeholders agreed on the need for the country to deploy 5G technology”.
