NIN: No deadline extension has been approved- NCC
By Modupe Shodeinde
The Nigerian Communication Commission has stated that the Federal Government has not approved extension of the deadline given Nigerians to integrate their SIM with valid National Identification Numbers (NIN).
The Director, Public Affairs of the NCC, Ikechukwu Adinde, on Wednesday said the commission was awaiting the advice of the Federal Government as regards the deadline.
According to him, the earlier deadlines given were still in force and no deadline extension has been approved.
Adinde said “right now, apart from the recent information that we made concerning the extension, no further update yet.
“The information on this matter was the one that talked about when we moved the extension to January 19 for those who have NINs and February 9 for those who do not have.”
He stated that there has been no moves to either extend or suspend the exercise.
He added that “recently there have been concerns on the effect of COVID-19 and all that. But I am sure government is listening and once we are advised, we will go to the press and announce the new position.
“However, as it is now, we are waiting to see what happens at the end of the day, as the recent deadline extension still stands.”
This came in the midst of incessant calls for an extension or total suspension of the registration process.
The Federal Government had declared that all SIMs not registered with valid NINs on the network of telecommunications companies, after December 30, 2020, would be blocked.
This deadline was extended to January 19, 2021, for subscribers with NIN and February 9, 2021, for those without the NIN.
