The Federal Government has restricted the maximum numbers of SIM Cards a single individual could register as his or her own to three in order to check kidnapping and banditry in the country.
According to the Daily Trust, Isa Pantami, the minister of communications and digital economy, has directed the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to revise the policy on subscriber identification module(SIM) card registration and usage. This was contained in a statement signed by Femi Adeluyi, the minister’s technical assistant on information technology.
The updated policy, according to the Minister, is expected ensure that the National Identity Number becomes a prerequisite for Nigerians registering new SIM cards.
Pantami further disclosed that for foreigners, their passports and visas should be used, while already registered SIM cards are to be updated with National Identity Number before 1st December, 2020.
Moreover, the NCC has been directed to ensure that no unregistered SIMs are ever allowed on mobile networks in the country and that only registered agents take part in the registration process without pre-registering SIM cards themselves.
The minister said that the provision for the number of phone lines may not be applied to companies and that only the NCC has the constitutional power to decide on the issue.
