TheNewsGuru

Tag: NIMC

  • Nigerians call on FG to review NIN registration process

    Nigerians call on FG to review NIN registration process

    Some Nigerians are calling on the federal government to step in and review the process of registering for National Identification Number (NIN).

    They called on the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Ali Pantami and the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to ensure Nigerians do not suffer unduly, and get exposed unnecessarily to the dangers of COVID-19 in the process of trying to register for NIN.

    “I’m in support with my fellow Nigerians to call on the Minister to step in and review the NIMC process in place to ensure Nigerians are not meant to suffer unduly”.

    – Twitter: @Mosun_15

    Recall that the FG had on December 15, 2020 declared that all SIM cards that were not registered with valid NIN on the network of telecommunications companies would be blocked after December 30, 2020.

    However, following public outcry against the short notice, the FG later extended the deadline, giving 3 weeks’ extension for subscribers with NIN from December 30, 2020, to January 19, 2021, and a 6-week extension for subscribers without NIN from December 30, 2020, to February 9, 2021.

    Meanwhile, the FG did not carry out its threat of blocking SIM cards of subscribers with NIN on January 19. The FG unified the deadline, postponing the deadline to February 9 altogether.

    However, reacting to the NIN registration process, Nigerians have said the process is a flop, with #NINRegistrationFlops beginning to trend on Twitter as of Sunday with Nigerians calling for a review of the whole process.

    Read tweets below:

    https://twitter.com/tomiw_a/status/1355835956415389699?s=19

    https://twitter.com/iampaulfizzy/status/1355835337856180230?s=19

    https://twitter.com/madamkofo_/status/1355834317604270083?s=19

    https://twitter.com/Oloyetimmy/status/1355836165568524289?s=19

    https://twitter.com/Oloyetimmy/status/1355842924022538240?s=19

    https://twitter.com/NotJustSalmanPR/status/1355842219966681090?s=19

    https://twitter.com/Mosun_15/status/1355835344827113474?s=19

    https://twitter.com/dejiabubakar/status/1355836792973496321?s=19

    https://twitter.com/Afrobadootvv/status/1355835003154915329?s=19

    https://twitter.com/tomiw_a/status/1355839355370270720?s=19

    https://twitter.com/Mosun_15/status/1355843261739499521?s=19

  • NIN issued in Kwara before 2012 invalid – NIMC

    NIN issued in Kwara before 2012 invalid – NIMC

    The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) says that any National Identification Card or National Identity Number (NIN) issued in Kwara before 2012 is not valid.

    The NIMC acting Coordinator in the state, Mr Paul Popoola, disclosed this on Tuesday at the University of Ilorin, while speaking with newsmen.

    Popoola explained that NIN registration in the early 2000s had been rendered unacceptable by the law that created the commission.

    He, therefore, urged those yet to obtain the card to do so without further delay.

    Popoola said that NIMC registration centres across Kwara would remain open every working day to capture residents of the state.

    He commended the University of Ilorin for providing space within its premises to register the residents for the NIN.

    “The university has been most magnanimous and visionary for giving the commission a space within its premises to capture interested citizens since 2014,’’ he said.

    Popoola said that through the cooperation of successive administrations of the university, many of its staff and students as well as those who live around it had been registered.

    He thanked the institution’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Sulyman Abdulkareem, for providing logistics for the exercise.

  • BREAKING: National SIM blocking day postponed

    BREAKING: National SIM blocking day postponed

    The federal government has postponed the deadline pegged to block the SIM cards of Nigerians and legal residents who are yet to link their National Identification Number (NIN).

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) made this known in a public notice published on Tuesday via the Commission’s official Twitter handle.

    Recall that the FG had on December 15, 2020 declared that all SIMs that were not registered with valid NIN on the network of telecommunications companies would be blocked after December 30, 2020.

    However, following public outcry against the short notice, it later extended the deadline, giving 3 weeks’ extension for subscribers with NIN from December 30, 2020, to January 19, 2021, and a 6-week extension for subscribers without NIN from December 30, 2020, to February 9, 2021.

    “All Nigerians and legal residents are advised to enroll for their National Identification Number (NIN) and link them before February 9th, 2021,” the notice by NIMC reads.

    By the notice, it means the federal government will not block SIM cards of subscribers with NIN until February 9th, along with subscribers without NIN.

    Meanwhile, the FG had expressed appreciation to Nigerians and residents over the NIN-SIM linkage exercise.

    At the end of a review meeting on 18th January 2021, the Technical Implementation Committee under the Ministerial Task Force reported significant progress in the ongoing exercise.

    So far, a total of 47.8 million NINs have been collected by the mobile operators. At an average of three to four SIMs per subscriber, this means many millions will be linked up before the deadline in February 2021.

    Reacting to the report, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, expressed satisfaction with this commendable achievement.

    He expressed the Federal Government’s appreciation for the commitment demonstrated by all stakeholders and citizens and urged them to submit their NINs before 9th February, 2021 deadline.

    The Minister urged the technical team to fast-track the processes so that the project is delivered soonest.

    The Technical Committee drew attention to the App developed by Federal Government which allows subscribers to link up to a maximum of seven (7) SIMs to their NIN.

    The Minister concluded by reminding Nigerians to secure and protect their NINs, urging subscribers to desist from selling their NINs or allowing others to use their NINs for registration.

    “For any action committed with the SIM, good or bad, it will be officially traced and attached to the NIN owner,” the Minister warned.

  • FG halts NIN registration at NIMC headquarters, open 20 others

    FG halts NIN registration at NIMC headquarters, open 20 others

    The Federal Government has ordered the immediate closure of enrolment activities at the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Headquarters.

    Rather than NIN enrolment at the NIMC headquarters, the FG ordered the reactivation of 20 centers within the FCT.

    According to Kayode Adegoke, Head, Corporate Communications, residents are to visit any of the reactivated centre to enroll for the National Identification Number (NIN).

    The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Ali Isa Pantami had on Friday advised prospective enrollees to disconnect the City Centres by availing themselves of other enrolment centres or places in other parts of the major cities across the country, especially those in Abuja and Lagos.

    Similarly, there has been no extension of deadline (19, January) by the government for linking of Sim cards with NIN.

    The Federal Government through the Nigerian Communication Commission had ordered telecommunications companies to deactivate telephone lines of subscribers who failed to link their phones to their National Identity Number.

    The reactivated centres are:

    The centres are: 2nd Floor, Block C, No 4 Maputo Street, Zone 3, Wuse, Abuja;

    Abaji Secretariat Complex, Legislative Section Abaji, FCT – Abuja;

    AMAC Secretariat Annex, Kabusa Junction Apo, FCT- Abuja;

    Area Council Complex Bwari, FCT, Abuja;

    CIPB Building (Old Secretariat), Gwagwalada, FCT – Abuja;

    Kwali Council Secretariat, Kwali, FCT – Abuja;

    Opposite Forest Pasali, Along Kuje/Gwagwalada Road, FCT;

    Beside Diamond Bank, Building Materials International Market;

    Dutse Alhaji, FCT – Abuja;

    GWARINPA FHA/Waterboard Beside Police Station Off 3rd Avenue, FCT – Abuja;

    HIGHCOURT LUGBE By Police Signboard, Close to Lugbe Market, Airport Road;

    JIWA AEDC Office, before Emir Palace FCT – Abuja;

    Women Development Secretariat, Karshi;

    Kenuj Angles Schools, Jikwoyi Phase 1 Extension, FCT-Abuja;

    Chief Palace, Kurudu;

    Nigerian Custom Service Karu;

    NIPOST, Opposite General Hospital, Phase 4, Kubwa;

    NIN Enrolment Center Ibro Hotel 34-36 Sokode Street Wuse 2, Abuja

    Afritech multi Concept, Gwandal plaza adjacent EFCC, Wuse 2, Abuja; and

    NIN Enrolment Center No 8, Nairobi Street, Wuse 2, Abuja.

  • NIMC lists 50 NIN registration centres for Lagos, Abuja [Full List]

    NIMC lists 50 NIN registration centres for Lagos, Abuja [Full List]

    The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has released a list of 50 National Identification Number (NIN) enrolment centres for Lagos and Abuja.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that this follows the unusual crowds that besieged the commission’s office in both cities last year and early this year with total disregard for the COVID-19 protocols.

    According to NIMC Spokesman, Kayode Adegoke, the decentralisation will help decongest the large gatherings at the state offices in the two cities as well as make the NIN registration process faster and easier for applicants.

    He listed the NIN enrolment offices in Lagos to include Orile Agege LCDA Office, Ayobo Ipaja LCDA Office, Synagogue Church, Ikotun; Agbado/Oke Odo LCDA Office, Amuwo Odofin LGA Office, Oriade LCDA Office, Badagry LGA Office, Olorunda LCDA Office, Ijaiye Ojokoro LCDA Office, Onigbongbo LCDA Office, Ojodu LCDA Office, Kosofe LGA Office, Agboyi Ketu LCDA Office, Mushin LGA Office, Ejigbo LCDA Office, Isolo LCDA, and Oshodi/Isolo LGA.

    Others are LASU Office, Oto-Awori LCDA Office, Ojo LGA Office, Epe LGA Office, Ibeju Lekki LGA Office, Eti Osa LGA Office, Sangotedo LCDA Office, Shomolu LGA Office, Bariga LCDA Office, LASPOTECH Office, Surulere LGA Office, Yaba Mainland LGA Office, UNILAG Special Centre and Yabatech.

    For Abuja, Adegoke listed the centres to include Abaji, Amac, Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kwali, Kuje, Federal Secretariat, Nigerian Immigration Service, FRSC Zone 7, Mogadishu Cantonment, NASS, Min Of Foreign Affairs, Dei Dei, Psin Kubwa, NIPOST Kubwa, Gwarinpa Fha, 18 Karshi, Jiwa, Dutse, National Open University, Kenuj Sch Jikwoyi, High Court Lugbe And Kurudu.

  • NIN gotten through BVN is invalid – NIMC

    NIN gotten through BVN is invalid – NIMC

    The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has said a National Identification Number (NIN) gotten through bank verification exercise is not useful to the bearer.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the Commission made this known on Tuesday, stressing that such NIN can only be used after it has been updated at an NIMC enrollment Center.

    “You must complete your NIN registration even if your BVN has generated a NIN. If your NIN was generated due to the BVN record harmonization with the National Identity Database, you will not have access to the NIMC mobile app and your NIN-SIM integration will be invalid.

    “All NIN generated by the BVN can only be used after it has been updated at the NIMC enrollment center,” NIMC stated via a public notice.

    The Commission advised bearers of such NIN to visit NIMC enrollment center to complete the NIN registration.

  • FG considers suspending NIN registration

    FG considers suspending NIN registration

    The Minister of State for Health, Dr Olorunnimbe Mamora has said the ongoing registration for National Identification Number (NIN) may be suspended due to a rise in Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infections in the country.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Dr Mamora, who is a member of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 (PTFCOVID19), made this known when he appeared on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme on Monday.

    While urging the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to go back to the drawing board and re-order the enrollment process to avoid large crowds at its centres nationwide, Mamora said the government has a duty to ensure Nigerians are protected at all times.

    “I don’t feel good looking at the picture where people are gathered in multitude; it’s like a superspreader event which we don’t like. But I’m also aware that the relevant ministry which is the communications and digital economy is looking at this.

    “My understanding is that the whole process may be suspended so as to reorder the whole process in terms of management of the crowd because it was never intended that it would become a rowdy process like that.

    “We have a duty as government to ensure that people are protected; we also have a duty to ensure people comply within the limit of what is good for the society at large,” the Minister said.

  • NIN: FG suspends NIMC officials over extortion at NIMC centres

    NIN: FG suspends NIMC officials over extortion at NIMC centres

    The Federal Government has suspended workers fingered in extortion at enrolment centres of the National Identity Management Commission.

    It was gathered that the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, ordered the immediate suspension of the staff members involved in extortion of applicants at the NIMC Bauchi and Kaduna state offices.

    The NIMC on Sunday said the directive came on the heels of public outcry that some personnel of commission, particularly at enrolment centres in Bauchi and Kaduna were capitalising on the rush for National Identification Number by the public to perpetrate fraudulent activities.

    A spokesperson for the commission, Kayode Adegoke, said in a statement issued in Abuja that the act was inimical to the policy directive of the Federal Government, which required mobile network subscribers to update their Subscriber Identification Module registration with a valid NIN.

    Pantami restated his zero-tolerance stance on extortion, bribery and corruption.

    He noted that such unethical practices if allowed to fester and not nipped in the bud by taking stiffer actions against the culprits had the potency of derailing the SIM-NIN integration project.

    The minister said enrolment for NIN was free of charge, adding that on no occasion should anyone pay to obtain an enrolment form or to have their biometrics captured.

    “All personnel involved in the enrolment and NIN issuance exercise must carry out their respective duties professionally, fairly and with integrity,” the statement stated.

    It added, “In light of the above, we wish to call on the general public to assist us in putting our commitments into action by sending proof of any nefarious activity within and around our enrolment centres.”

    It urged the public to provide snapshots, footage and other proofs to help the government address the matter.

  • NIN: FG approves SIM card replacement

    NIN: FG approves SIM card replacement

    The federal government has approved a SIM card replacement policy for subscribers whose SIMs have been lost, stolen, misplaced or damaged subject to certain conditions.

    This is contained in a statement jointly released by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).

    Recall that the NCC had earlier directed mobile network operators to suspend the sale and activation of new SIM cards to allow an audit of the subscriber registration database.

    Replacing lost, stolen, misplaced or damaged SIM cards was also affected by the directive after the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Pantami directed the NCC to embark on an audit of the subscriber registration database.

    However, with a new directive for Nigerians and legal residents in Nigeria to link their National Identification Numbers (NINs) to their phone numbers, the need to allow for subscribers who have lost their SIM cards to replace them came up.

    Based on recommendations, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy approved the SIM replacement policy under the conditions that subscribers present a NIN; an effective verification of the NIN is carried out by NIMC; and that the relevant guidelines and regulations of NCC concerning SIM replacement are fully adhered to.

    This is aimed at enabling telecommunications service users who need to replace their damaged, stolen or misplaced SIMs to re-establish access to telecom services.

  • FG releases mobile app to ease linking NIN to phone numbers

    FG releases mobile app to ease linking NIN to phone numbers

    The federal government says it has approved the development and release of a mobile app to enable Nigerians and legal residents easily link their National Identity Number (NIN) to their phone numbers.

    This is contained in a statement released on New Year’s eve by Dr Femi Adeluyi, Technical Assistant (Information Technology) to Prof Isa Pantami, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy.

    According to the statement, this is part of the FG efforts to improve the process of obtaining NIN and linking it to phone numbers.

    The statement reads: “The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Pantami has approved the development and release of an improved National Identity Number (NIN) slip and a Mobile App.

    “This is part of the Federal Government’s policy to improve the process of obtaining NIN and linking it to SIM, which was sent to the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) for implementation.

    “The N20 and N40 fees for NIN verification by individuals and Mobile Network Operators, respectively, were also waived.

    “These efforts are aimed at supporting the Policy to link subscribers’ NIN to their SIM, which was approved by the Federal Government earlier in the year and communicated to the NCC on the 4th of February, 2020.

    “The highly anticipated Web Service (MWS) Application, called the NIMC Mobile App, and the improved National Identification Number (NIN) Slip are now available for public use.

    “The App provides a secure channel for all Nigerians and legal residents to easily verify and authenticate their identities on-the-go using smartphones.

    “It also enables them to link the NIN to their phone numbers. The development of the App and other tools to support the National Identity Number (NIN) process align with the National Digital Economy Policy for a Digital Nigeria.

    “The App offers a built-in harmonization process that allows for its use across other government services including the NCC, Federal Inland Revenue Service, Federal Road Safety Commission and National Health Insurance Scheme, to mention a few.

    “On the other hand, the new improved NIN slip is a pocket friendly and an easy to verify version of the NIN.

    “It can be accessed via a self-service Portal, where people who already have been issued the NIN, can log in, download a PDF of the document in colour (if preferred), print and laminate as desired. The current NIN Slip will remain valid and will be gradually phased-out.

    “The App is available on the Google Play Store for Android users and App Store for iOS users.

    “Details on how to download and install the App and download the improved NIN slip are available on the websites and social media platforms of the Ministry and NIMC.

    “Users can also download the improved NIN Slip at https://dashboard.nimc.gov.ng.

    “The Honourable Minister has directed NIMC to respond to enquiries and also provide multimedia guides to make it easy for users to obtain their improved NIN slips and install the App.

    “The Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy remains committed to creating an enabling environment for all Nigerians and legal residents to obtain their Digital Identity Number”.