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The National Assembly has asked that the two weeks deadline for telecom operators to link all their subscribers SIM cards to their National Identification Number (NIN) be extended to first quarter of next year.
The legislators deemed the two weeks too short in the face of Covid-19 social distancing guidelines.
But the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), the umbrella body for the telcos, has assured that it was working to meet the deadline.
“As an industry, we recognise the importance of a strong national identity system and the critical contribution it will make to the accelerated growth of our digital economy. The COVID-19 pandemic has made the role of digital communications, products and services even more important in our daily lives and it is a national challenge to ensure that the building blocks are in place to enable them to be provided safely and securely, to all.
“We are committed to working closely with all stakeholders to overcome this challenge and deliver an inclusive, value adding digital economy Nigeria can be proud of. We fully understand the vital role that we, as digital operators, have to play in this process and we are collectively committed to investing in the systems, processes and support structure that are required to enable it,” said Chairman of ALTON Gbenga Adebayo and Publicity Secretary, Damian Udeh in a joint statement released in Lagos.
Earlier this week, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), under the directive of the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, had ordered “operators to require their subscribers to provide valid NIN to update their SIM registration records.
“The submission of NIN by subscribers to take place within two weeks (from today December 16, 2020 and end by 30 December, 2020),” said a statement by the Director of Public Affairs of the NCC, Dr Ikechukwu Adinde.
But many have expressed fears over the viability of the deadline.
