The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has partnered with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to improve the linkage of the National Identification Number-SIM across the country.
This was disclosed in a statement jointly signed by Ayodele Babalola, the Technical Adviser, Media, and Communications to the DG/CEO of NIMC, and Reuben Muoka the Director, Public Affairs, NCC, and made available to journalists in Abuja on Sunday.
The NIN-SIM linkage exercise has recently become the subject of national discourse, reflecting the critical importance of aligning SIM registrations with individuals’ unique NINs.
In recognition of the significance of this initiative in enhancing security and improving service delivery, both commissions said they were committed to improving processes and enhancing efficiency.
The agencies in the partnership prioritise the interests of Nigerians and promote national development.
“By pooling our resources and expertise, we aim to overcome the challenges associated with the NIN-SIM linkage exercise and ensure its continued successful implementation,” the commissions stated.
Under this collaboration, NIMC and NCC focus on the following key areas: streamlining the NIN-SIM linkage process; capacity building and public awareness; data verification and validation; policy harmonisation, and the regulatory framework.
According to the statement, “NIMC and NCC will collaborate to ensure a seamless experience for Nigerian telecommunication subscribers. This includes exploring innovative approaches to facilitate the swift verification and authentication of NINs during SIM registration and activation processes.
“Both agencies will collaborate on initiatives aimed at enhancing public awareness and understanding of the NIN-SIM linkage requirements. This includes educational campaigns, training sessions for stakeholders, and the dissemination of accurate information to the public to encourage compliance with the linkage directives.
“NIMC will continue to extend its support to NCC by assisting in verifying National Identification Numbers (NINs) associated with SIM registrations. Leveraging NIMC’s robust database and authentication infrastructure, telecommunication operators will validate submitted NINs while ensuring the accuracy and integrity of subscriber data.
“NIMC and NCC will collaborate on aligning policies and regulatory frameworks to facilitate the seamless integration of NIN-SIM linkage processes within the telecommunications ecosystem. This includes harmonising data protection and privacy regulations to safeguard the confidentiality and security of subscriber information.”
Millions were disconnected from the network after the February 28 deadline given by the NCC.
