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The federal government has directed all mobile provider companies in Nigeria to stop the sales and registration of new SIM cards now to allow an audit of the Subscriber Registration Database.
*Mallam Isa-Pantami, Minister of Communications and Digital Economy
The minister of communications and digital economy, Isa Pantami, gave this directive to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) which is the regulatory authority for mobile services
Revealing this in Abuja, Wednesday, NCC spokesman, Ikechukwu Adinde, said in a statement that this was in line with the federal government’s desire to consolidate the achievement of September 2019 SIM card registration.
Mr. Adinde explained that the objective of the audit was to verify and ensure compliance by Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) with the set quality standards and requirements as issued by the ministry and the commission.
“Accordingly, Mobile Network Operators are hereby directed to immediately suspend the sale, registration and activation of new SIM cards until the audit is concluded, and the government has conveyed the new direction.
“Where it is absolutely necessary, exemption may be granted in writing by the commission, following approval from the government.
“MNOs are to please note that non-compliance with this directive will be met with strict sanctions, including the possibility of withdrawal of operating licence,” he said.
He urged Nigerians and every resident/bodies in the country using telephone to immediately secure Digital Identification from the National Identity Management Commission and submit it to the Network Operators as the minister earlier directed in January.
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