Nigerians can now register for NIN with Telcos – NIMC

Telecommunications companies have been licensed to register people who do not have National Identity Numbers to reduce the large crowds at the offices of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), the government agency said.

NIMC director-general Aliyu Aziz said some other private and public organisations had also been licensed by the commission to avoid overcrowding at the commission’s offices.

“We have licensed private and public sector organisations including telcos (telecommunications companies) so as to create more centres,” Aziz told PRNigeria.

Recall that the Nigerian government in December 2020, had announced that all SIMs that were not registered with valid NINs on the network of telecommunications companies would be blocked. It extended the deadline by six weeks for persons without NIN.

Despite the extension, the process has not been hitch-free at the centres as crowds continue to besiege registration centres nationwide with many calling for outright suspension of the NIN registration due to the violation of COVID-19 protocols.