Afrigather 
The Nigerian Communications Fee (NCC) mentioned SIM playing cards which can be but to be linked to the Nationwide Identification Numbers (NIN) will likely be deactivated by the top of February.
NCC Government Vice Chairman/Chief Government Officer, Aminu Maida, disclosed this throughout a gathering with journalists on Tuesday, Feb. 6.
“By the top of this month, SIMs with out NIN will not work,” Mr Maida mentioned.
The obligatory linkage started in December 2020 when the federal government directed telecommunication firms to dam calls from unregistered and unlinked NINs.
The coverage was anticipated to assist the authorities in preventing bandits and terrorists who kidnap and kill harmless folks each day. Regardless of the extension of deadlines, many telephone traces are but to be linked.
Talking on Tuesday, Mr Maida mentioned “Pre-registered or illegally registered SIM has been a problem for a very long time. In 2021, there was a coverage to hyperlink NIN with SIMs pondering that such will maintain the issue however folks within the worth chain lashed out on loopholes.”
He added that the fee will maintain telecom service suppliers accountable for service supply to clients.
“You will see a change in the best way we make selections; we’re going to be very data-driven. All our selections are going to be backed up by knowledge as a lot as attainable. We wish to cut back subjectiveness and make the correct selections that may enhance the business.
“We intend to carry our licensees accountable for all providers. In spite of everything, the shoppers pay for the providers and so they anticipate the service to be at a sure stage or level so we will likely be holding our licensees accountable to make sure they ship on their obligations to their licenses.
“We have to put smiles again on the faces of shoppers. NCC is obvious on this; we have to shield the pursuits of shoppers. They continue to be primary as a result of that’s the place you extract values from. But, the curiosity of licensed operators may even be protected whereas we put eyes on their actions to see the extent of compliance.” he mentioned.
He defined that the fee would focus extra on the buyer, authorities and licensees and the business.
“The fee additionally will likely be pushed by the popularity that we have now primarily three crucial stakeholders within the business. These are the shoppers of telecom providers, the business and the licensees. The topmost are the web service suppliers (ISPs), submarine-landed cable firms, and the entire licensees of the fee and final however not least, the federal government,” he mentioned.
