The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Ali Pantami has directed the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to revise the policy on SIM Card registration, and usage.
TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the directive is contained in a statement issued on Wednesday by Dr Femi Adeluyi, Technical Assistant (Information Technology) to the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy.
According to Adeluyi, the directive is in line with the powers of the Minister as stated in Section 25(1) of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003- “the Minister shall, in writing, from time to time notify the Commission or and express his views on the general policy direction of the Federal Government in respect of the communications sector.”
The revision of the policy, according to Adeluyi, is based on the feedback received from security agencies, following the successful revalidation of improperly registered SIM cards in September 2019, and the eventual blocking of those that failed to revalidate their SIM cards.
The updated policy, TNG learnt, is expected to include the following provisions, amongst others: ensure that the National Identity Number (NIN) becomes a prerequisite for Nigerians registering new SIM cards, while for foreigners, their passports and visas would be required.
For already registered SIM cards, users are expected to update their SIM cards with their National Identity Number (NIN) on or before 1st of December, 2020.
According to the statement, NCC will ensure that only fully accredited agents support the SIM card registration process without pre-registering SIM cards themselves, while the eventual registration should be done by the operators.
When the policy is implemented, there would be a maximum number of SIM cards that can be tied to a single individual, possibly a maximum of 3; and NCC will nsure that no unregistered SIMs are ever allowed on mobile networks.
The NCC will also ensure that subscribers can easily check the number of SIM cards registered to their name, along with the associated phone numbers and networks; and also ensure that mobile network operators fortify their networks against cyberattacks and ensure that they adhere to the provisions of the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR).
Also, the NCC will ensure that SIM cards that have been used to perpetrate crimes are permanently deactivated; and provide the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy with progress reports on the implementation of the revised policy.