The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has given telecommunications operators in the country two weeks to block all SIM cards that are not registered with the National Identity Numbers (NIN).
Failure to do so will lead to your line being blocked or disconnected by the 31st of December 2020.
However, to avoid going into a new year with a blocked sim, please read through this article carefully.
What is NIN?
NIN is a set of eleven digits assigned to an individual, by The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), upon successful enrolment.
Enrolment consists of the recording of an individual’s demographic data and capture of the ten (10) fingerprints, head-to-shoulder facial picture, and digital signature.
The information is used to cross-check existing data in the National Identity Database to confirm that there is no previous entry of the same data.
How to Get your NIN?
If you have registered for your NIN, you should have your slip with you.
However, if you have misplaced it, you have to pay N500 through REMITA at any bank nearest to you; provide your Remita Teller to any NIMC Enrolment Centre (ERC) near you and request for a NIN slip print.
Alternatively, you can use the NIMC USSD service to retrieve it by following these steps:
Dial *346#; from the options displayed, select “NIN Retrieval”, by typing in ‘1’, if you are using the same phone number you enrolled with for your number.
Follow the steps displayed on your screen and provide the required inputs
Note: Using this service attracts N20 (twenty naira) fee-only (deducted from your phone credit balance).
However, Glo users might encounter some difficulties, a message from the service provider at about 10: 53 am today stated that their subscribers would not be able to retrieve NIN for now:
The message reads: “The code to verify your NIN is *346 on the registered mobile number. This service cost N20. However, you would be unable to retrieve your NIN on Glo for now. Sorry for this inconvenience.”
How to Link Your Phone Number With Your NIN
Linking your phone number to your number is very easy.
For MTN users, simply dial *785# and get it done in few seconds.
Airtel – Dial *121*1#
Glo – text REG to 746
You can also visit the nearest office of your service provider (be it MTN, Glo, 9mobile, and Airtel) to register/link your NIN.
Just go along with NIN and your SIM pack. If you do not have your SIM pack, you probably should be prepared to swear an affidavit.
To be on the safer side, you can call your service provider’s customer care.
