Modupe Gbadeyanka
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has been advised to extend the deadline for the new policy requiring subscribers to update their SIM-card registration with the National Identification Number (NIN).
The federal government through the Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy had directed service providers in the country to disconnect any mobile number without the NIN from December 31, 2020.
This directive, which was announced on Tuesday, was greeted with reactions from subscribers, who lambasted the government for giving subscribers only two weeks to update their SIM-card registration, especially at a time the country was recording the second wave of COVID-19.
At the plenary on Wednesday, the House of Representatives said it would be impossible for Nigerians to meet up with the requirement within two weeks and asked for an extension by 10 weeks.
In a motion of urgent public importance moved by the Minority Leader, Mr Ndudi Elumelu, it was stressed that if the extension is ignored, “millions of subscribers will be disconnected and this will lead to untold hardships for Nigerians this Christmas.”
Mr Elumelu argued that, “It will be almost impossible for Nigerians, over 200 million of them, and the majority for having no NIN, to register for NIN with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and again submit the NIN to network operators, all within two weeks.”
“While we are not against the registration requirement, we are saying that NCC should extend the two weeks deadline,” he submitted.
In his contribution, the Deputy Minority Leader, Mr Toby Okechukwu, suggested that the motion should be amended to indicate an extension of 10 weeks.
This was accepted by the lower chamber of the parliament, which had the Speaker, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, presiding, and the motion was passed after a unanimous vote.
