Again, FG extends NIN-SIM linkage deadline to Oct 31

The Federal Government has again extended the deadline for NIN-SIM data verification to October 31.

Since December last year, this is the sixth time the government is extending NIN-SIM linkage deadline.

The new deadline was announced in a joint statement by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) on Sunday, July 25, 2021.

The commission said the decision to extend the deadline was made following a request by stakeholders to accommodate registration in hard-to-reach remote areas, foreigners and diplomatic missions and Nigerians in diaspora.

The statement signed by NCC’s Director of Public Affairs, Ikechukwu Adinde, and NIMC Head of Media, Kayode Adegoke also stated that the October deadline would address low enrolment in schools and hospitals.

The statement added that President Muhammadu Buhari approved the extension to make it easier for Nigerians within and outside the country, and legal residents to obtain the NIN.

According to Adinde and Adegoke, there are over 5,500 enrolment systems within and outside the country as of Saturday, July 24, 2021.

The commission believes this will “significantly ease the NIN enrolment process and subsequent linkage of NIN to SIM.”

The statement also revealed that so far, there have been a total of 59.8 million unique NIN enrolments, with an average of three to four SIMs per NIN.

Previous deadlines handed to Nigerians to link their SIMs with their NINs or lose their phone numbers were December 30, 2020; January 19, 2021; February 9, 2021; April 6, 2021; June 30, 2021, and July 26, 2021.