Nigeria orders linking of national identification numbers to SIM cards
The Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) has directed all mobile telephone subscribers to submit their national ID numbers (NIN) to their respective network operators for integration of NIN with SIM cards. Subscribers have two weeks to do so, or they risk having their SIM cards being blocked. The directive has led to long queues at National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) offices as the public rush to register for NIN in Africa’s most populous country. The NIMC has also developed a mobile app through which people can be identified and authenticated. However, one must first get their mobile phone number verified prior to using the app.
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