NIN-SIM for digital linkages, security matters – NCC

The Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, has said the objective of the current drive to link NIN with SIM is to give Nigerians digital linkages and for purposes of security.

He said, it is for good and convenience of subscribers of phone lines as they will be able to transact businesses with ease as banks and other institutions which they interact all the times will always require National Identification Number linked to their SIMs.

“The whole essence is actually to achieve the convenience that digital services and products will offer. By the time you have your identity together, you will be able to attend to several things.

“Even the banks are now asking their customers to link their NINs to their Bank Verification Numbers (BVNs). It is actually to make a holistic package of all your digital services.”

The NCC’s Spokesman, Reuben Muoka speaking on Channels Television, on ‘The Morning Brief’, said those people who probably didn’t get a “cleared or verified NIN” are barred because “the earlier ones they submitted were not good”.

He revealed disparity in information as reasons some SIM cards were barred.

“There are still some subscribers whose NINs are yet to be verified by NIMC and those have to also be corrected,”

Reacting to question that many subscribers have complained that they had previously linked their NIN with their SIM cards years ago, he said some lines were barred because the information on the NIN did not tally with what the customers registered with their SIM cards.

He said subscribers will have to visit the outlets of their service providers to validate their NINs and resolve other matters.
“For now, it requires those physical visits to the stations to get it verified and validated but in the future, we hope that this will be done virtually,” the NCC spokesman said.