The Federal Government of Nigeria through the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami has announced that the deadline for the NIN-SIM verification has been shifted once more time to March 31, 2022.
In a statement on Friday which was sighted by Africa Daily News, New York, the minister disclosed that the extension was necessary due to requests by stakeholders, including citizens, legal residents and Nigerians in the diaspora.
He explained that the extension would enable the Federal Government to consolidate the gains of the process and stimulate the enrolment of Nigerians in key areas such as those in remote areas, diaspora, schools, hospitals, worship centres, and the registration of legal residents. This is the third time the exercise will be extended on the same grounds since it was introduced in 2020.
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According to Pantami, as of 30th December 2021, the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has issued over 71 million NINs with over 14,000 enrolment centres set up across the country.
The minister urged Nigerians and legal residents to enroll for their NINs and link with their SIMs during this period of extension as more services will be requiring the NIN for identification. He further reiterated the commitment of the Federal Government to support the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) in ensuring that the objectives of the exercise are achieved.
Africa Daily News, New York reports that this is the 6th time the federal government is issuing out this extension after they started the move to capture all mobile phones using their NIN platform.
The last extension had come at the end of October 2021.
Many Nigerians have criticized the federal Government over what they termed their decision to put them through hardship.
AFRICA DAILY NEWS, NEW YORK
