The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has revealed that it uncovered cases where individual Nigerians have registered over 100,000 SIM lines under their names.
This discovery was made in collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) as part of the ongoing National Identification Number-SIM linkage (NIN-SIM) exercise.
Under the current policy, individuals are only allowed to register a maximum of four SIM cards per network operator, with additional allowances for SIMs used in Internet of Things (IoT) devices.
Highlighting the potential security threats posed by individuals with such an unusually high number of SIM cards, the NCC emphasized its commitment to cracking down on the sale of pre-registered SIMs.
“Through collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), the NCC has uncovered alarming cases where individuals possessed an unusually high number of SIM cards—some exceeding 100,000,” the Commission stated in a release signed by its Director of Public Affairs, Reuben Muoka.
The NCC stressed that linking all SIM cards to NINs is crucial for enhancing the security and integrity of Nigeria’s digital economy, reducing fraud, and supporting digital financial services.
In related news, the NCC has set a final deadline of September 14, 2024, for all telecom subscribers to link their SIMs with their National Identification Numbers and have them verified.
Previously, millions of lines were barred ahead of a July 31 deadline, but the NCC later extended the timeline to give subscribers more time to comply.
The Commission has warned that any lines not linked by the new deadline will be blocked by network operators starting September 15, 2024.
