By Chinenye Anuforo
The Federal Government has approved the extension of the deadline for NIN-SIM data verification to the July 26, 2021.
Earlier, the government had stipulated June 30, 2021 as the deadline for the verification exercise but the joint press statement signed by Ikechukwu Adinde, Director, Public Affairs, Nigerian Communications Commission and Mr. Kayode Adegoke Head, National Identity Management Commission, the FG said the decision to extend the deadline was made after a request by stakeholders on the need to consolidate the enrolment and NIN-SIM verification process following the rapid increase in the number of enrolment systems across the country.
As at June 28, 2021, a total of 5,410 enrolment systems are now available across the country and this would significantly ease the NIN enrolment process and subsequent linkage of NIN to SIM. “It is worthy of note that there were only about 800 such enrolment systems as at December 2020.
“The FG has approved the extension as part of its effort to make it easier for its citizens and residents to obtain the NIN and it is important to take advantage of the extension. There are now a total of 57.3 million unique NIN enrolments, with average of 3 to 4 SIMs per NIN. With the great number of enrolment centres across the country, every citizen and legal resident should be able to obtain their NINs”, the statement read.
The Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, appreciated Nigerians for their patience and compliance with the FG’s directive on the NIN-SIM registration exercise.
The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, Prof Umar Garba Dambatta, and the Director-General/CEO of that National Identity Management Commission, Aliyu Azeez, on their part urged citizens and legal residents to make sure they use the opportunity to complete the process of enrolment and verification.
