The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has announced September 14 as the ‘final deadline’ for the linkage of the National Identification Number (NIN) with the Subscriber Identification Module (SIM).

The NCC, on Wednesday, revealed that over 153 million Subscriber Identification Modules (SIMs) have been successfully linked to a National Identity Number (NIN), reflecting a compliance rate of 96 per cent, a substantial increase from 69.7 per cent in January 2024.

Effective September 15, 2024, the Commission expects that no SIM operating in Nigeria will be without a valid NIN.

The Commission’s director, public affairs, Reuben Muoka, in a statement, said NCC is approaching the final phase of the SIM-NIN linkage process, even as it seeks the continued cooperation of all Nigerians to achieve 100 per cent compliance.

“The complete linkage of all SIM cards to NINs is essential for enhancing the trust and security of our digital economy. By verifying all mobile users, this policy strengthens confidence in digital transactions, reduces the risk of fraud and cybercrime, and supports greater participation in e-commerce, digital banking, and mobile money services. This, in turn, promotes financial inclusion and drives economic growth,” the statement read.

Through collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), the NCC said it has uncovered alarming cases where individuals possessed an unusually high number of SIM cards—some exceeding 100,000.

The Commission reiterated its commitment to working with security agencies and other stakeholders to crack down on the sale of pre-registered SIMs, thereby safeguarding national security and ensuring the integrity of mobile numbers in Nigeria.

It therefore urged all Nigerians who have not yet completed their NIN-SIM linkage, or who have faced issues due to verification mismatches, to visit their service providers promptly to update their details before the deadline; alternatively, the approved self-service portals are available for this purpose.