News
That Zombie Order on NIN-SIM Integration
By Chido Nwakanma
Our Federal Government has gone mad again.
It is difficult to draw any other conclusion upon news of the inexplicable FG order to telecom operators to block from their networks all users without the National Identification Number in two weeks, meaning from 30 December 2020. It has neither rhyme nor reason.
The order only reminds one of the Not To Be Broadcast hit of the late legendary Fela Anikulapo Kuti. What thought processes informed such an order? Now officials of various government agencies are coming out of the woodworks with what they imagine to be clarifications.
This time the order is from the Nigerian Communications Commission, according to a statement by its Director of Public Affairs Dr Ikechukwu Adinde. The statement is on the IMPLEMENTATION OF NEW SIM REGISTRATION RULES. It follows the directive of the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami).
Stakeholders of the Communications industry met on Monday 14 December and agreed on this New rule on SIMs.
“The meeting had in attendance the Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) and Management of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), as well as the CEOs and Management staff of all service providers in the industry.”
The December Madness thrown upon the nation by NCC is because of an alleged “need to consolidate the achievements of last year’s SIM registration audit and improve the performance and sanity of the sector”. They decided on “urgent drastic measures… to improve the integrity and transparency of the SIM registration process.”
The Minister decided and instructed
- Operators to require ALL their subscribers to provide valid National Identification Number (NIN) to update SIM registration records.
- The submission of NIN by subscribers to take place within two weeks (from today 16 December 2020 and end by 30 December 2020).
- After the deadline, ALL SIMs without NINs are to be blocked from the networks.
- A Ministerial Task Force comprising the Minister and all the CEOs (among others) as members is to monitor compliance by all networks.
- Violations of this directive will be met by stiff sanctions, including the possibility of withdrawal of operating license.”
The Oxford Dictionary defines a zombie as A corpse said to be revived by witchcraft, especially in certain African and Caribbean religions. The order is a zombie, seeking to revive by word of mouth the corpse of NIN registration. The Oxford Dictionary defines a zombie as A corpse said to be revived by witchcraft, especially in certain African and Caribbean religions. ‘It has taken up to ten years without much progress. With the order of Minister Pantami, over 100 million Nigerians will suddenly succeed with their efforts at getting a NIN number! Wonderful.
It is nothing but a power show, dangling the threat of license withdrawal on the telcos and blocking from the network on citizens. The stated rationale is too thin to justify this Draco’s Decree.
I have a word for Minister Isa Ali Ibrahim. Think again, Sir, and reconsider this stance. Many reasons show why it is unworkable and does not cohere with rational thinking.
There was no such requirement when citizens like me registered our SIMS. You cannot spring such a new rule on us at the end of the year and give a two-week timeline for 150 million people. The Ministry and its agencies cannot manage logistics of the registration exercise, even as they have stayed away from discussion of the modalities.
Many citizens have tried without success to register for the NIN. I have done so thrice. One was at the Stanbic IBTC branch on Adetokunbo Ademola Street, Victoria Island. I have since tried to use the slip they issued me that day in the bank only for it to draw a null (NIN). I have done the online version—the same result.
The order comes as workers everywhere are shutting down for the year. National Identity Management Commission has notoriously been unable to manage the national identity process for more than eight years. How will it do so in two weeks? Baffling is the fact that their CEO sat at that conference and did not own up to the logistical impossibility of such a task.
Challenges with SIM are not like the pandemic. Even with the COVID-19 pandemic, nations spaced out the implementation of lockdown and other control measures. Speaking of which, both the Ministry and NCC want to serve as instigators for super spread of COVID-19 that will happen inevitably when people converge in large numbers at NIN centres to attempt to register for their NINs again.
It is also curious that the Minister is compelling the telcos to do in two weeks what has taken them two decades of slowly and steadily building one success factor of the Nigerian economy. What will these draconian rules mean for a sector that the regulator and operator have built on dialogue and consultation over the last 20 years? Check the records, Sir.
What or who is behind the drum of this emergency? To stem what really?
The Bankers Committee worked with the Central Bank of Nigeria to implement the Bank Verification Number (BVN). It has been systematic and procedural, not knee-jerk. There is a well-articulated Regulatory Framework for Bank Verification Number Operations and Financial System Watch List. It has taken more than seven years. BVN has yet to capture all bank customers as it is work in progress.
Minister Isa Ibrahim Pantami would in my estimation not want to be associated with governance as punishment for citizens. In case he does not know, his Integrate NIN in two weeks or lose your SIM or license is nothing but authority as hemlock. We will not drink poison. Take it away. Put together a team of thinkers to study how other nations introduce new policies and the timelines they allow for implementation.
Please withdraw this order as quickly as you issued it.
Chido Nwakanma is a Marketing Communications expert
Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has announced that the National Identification Number (NIN) issued by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) will automatically serve as the Tax Identification Number (Tax ID) for all Nigerian citizens, while registered businesses will use their Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) registration numbers.
FIRS
The disclosure was made during a public awareness campaign on the new tax laws posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday.
According to the Service, the Nigeria Tax Administration Act (NTAA), which comes into force in January 2026, mandates the use of Tax IDs for certain financial and commercial transactions, including bank account ownership.
FIRS explained that the measure is part of efforts to unify all previously issued Tax Identification Numbers (TINs) by both the federal and state revenue services into a single identifier.
“For individuals, your NIN automatically serves as your Tax ID, while for registered companies, your CAC RC number is used. You do not need a physical card; the Tax ID is a unique number linked directly to your identity,” the Service stated.
The agency noted that the requirement has been in place since the Finance Act of 2019 but has now been strengthened under the NTAA to ensure compliance and ease of administration.
Officials emphasized that the reform would simplify tax processes, reduce duplication, and improve transparency in Nigeria’s tax system.
The Service added that the integration of NIN and CAC numbers into the tax framework would also enhance data accuracy, curb tax evasion, and streamline the monitoring of taxable activities across the country.
Tax experts have described the development as a significant step toward modernizing Nigeria’s revenue administration, noting that it aligns with global best practices where national identity systems are linked to tax compliance.
The FIRS urged Nigerians to ensure that their NINs and CAC registration details are up-to-date, stressing that the identifiers would be required for transactions such as property purchases, contract awards, and access to certain financial services once the NTAA takes effect
The United States will begin a partial suspension of visa issuance to Nigerians from January 1, 2026, following a new presidential proclamation aimed at strengthening border and national security.
The US Mission in Nigeria announced on Monday that the restriction will take effect at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Standard Time in accordance with Presidential Proclamation 10998, titled ‘Restricting and Limiting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the Security of the United States.’
According to the mission, Nigeria is one of 19 countries affected by the measure.
Others listed are Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burundi, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Venezuela, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The proclamation provides for a partial suspension of visa issuance covering nonimmigrant B-1/B-2 visitor visas, as well as F, M and J student and exchange visitor visas.
It also applies to immigrant visas, though with limited exceptions.
The statement read in part, “Effective January 1, 2026, at 12:01 a.m. EST, in line with Presidential Proclamation 10998 on “Restricting and Limiting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the Security of the United States,” the Department of State is partially suspending visa issuance to nationals of 19 countries – Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burundi, Cote D’Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Venezuela, Zambia, and Zimbabwe – for nonimmigrant B-1/B-2 visitor visas and F, M, J student and exchange visitor visas, and all immigrant visas with limited exceptions.”
US officials clarified that the policy does not apply to all travellers. Exemptions include immigrant visas for ethnic and religious minorities facing persecution in Iran, dual nationals applying with passports from countries not affected by the suspension, and Special Immigrant Visas for eligible US government employees.
Other exempted categories include lawful permanent residents of the United States and participants in certain major international sporting events.
The US government emphasised that the proclamation applies only to foreign nationals who are outside the United States on the effective date and who do not hold a valid US visa as of January 1, 2026.
“Foreign nationals, even those outside the United States, who hold valid visas as of the effective date are not subject to Presidential Proclamation 10998. No visas issued before January 1, 2026, at 12:01 a.m. EST, have been or will be revoked pursuant to the Proclamation,” the statement added.
Visa applicants from affected countries may continue to submit applications and attend interviews. However, the US Mission noted that such applicants “may be ineligible for visa issuance or admission to the US” under the new rules.
The announcement comes amid a series of recent US policy decisions that have raised concerns among Nigerians seeking to travel, study or migrate to the country.
In October, the United States added Nigeria back to its list of countries accused of violating religious freedom, citing persistent insecurity and attacks on Christian communities. This was followed by Nigeria’s inclusion on a revised US travel ban list that imposed partial entry restrictions on Nigerians.
The US has also tightened immigration and visa policies affecting Nigerians. Earlier this year, the validity of most non-immigrant visas issued to Nigerians was reduced to single-entry visas with a three-month duration.
The pre-action notice was signed by Emmanuel Okpara, Esq., Litigation and Compliance Director, and Mus’ab Awwal Mu’az, Esq., secretary of the Association’s Steering Committee.
The dispute stemmed from a consent judgment delivered on November 3, 2025, by Justice J.K. Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CC/355/2025 between Meta Platforms, Inc. and the NDPC.
Following investigations conducted under the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA), 2023, the NDPC had issued a Final Order against Meta Platforms, Inc., finding “widespread violations of the data protection and privacy rights of approximately 61 million Nigerians,” and imposing a remedial fine of USD 32,800,000.
The pre-action notice was signed by Emmanuel Okpara, Esq., Litigation and Compliance Director, and Mus’ab Awwal Mu’az, Esq., Secretary of the Association’s Steering Committee.
The dispute stemmed from a consent judgment delivered on November 3, 2025, by Justice J.K. Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CC/355/2025 between Meta Platforms, Inc. and the NDPC.
Following investigations conducted under the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA), 2023, the NDPC had issued a Final Order against Meta Platforms, Inc., finding “widespread violations of the data protection and privacy rights of approximately 61 million Nigerians,” and imposing a remedial fine of USD 32,800,000.
The NDPC investigation stemmed from a petition filed at the commission on August 14, 2023, against Meta Platforms Inc. by the convener of Personal Data Protection Awareness Initiative, Ozoemena Nwogbo, regarding violation of the Nigeria Data Protection Act.
After its investigation, NDPC found Meta Platforms Inc. wanting and, on February 18, 2025, issued nine Final Orders against Meta Platforms Inc.
NDPC’s Order
The NDPC’s order nine reads, “Meta shall pay the naira equivalent of 32,800,000 USD (Thirty-two million, eight-hundred thousand United States Dollars) as a remedial fee. The naira equivalent shall be at the rate determined by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
“The details of the account for payment of the remedial fee are as follows: Account Name: Nigeria Data Protection Commission Fund Account. Account Number: 0020331265048 (300131267). Use RTGS for payment.”
The NDPC added, “Note that Meta has a right to seek a judicial review of this decision. The Commission will closely monitor Meta’s remediation process and its impact on data subjects for upwards of six months.”
However, the Final Order was subsequently set aside through Terms of Settlement, which were adopted by the court as a consent judgment on November 3, 2025, following a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/355/2025, filed by Meta Platforms Inc. against the NDPC.
Part of the Terms of Settlement entered between NDPC and Meta Platforms Inc. reads, “The applicant (Meta Platforms Inc.) and the respondent (NDPC) have come to a mutual settlement agreement that resolves the dispute underlying the applicant’s originating Summons.
“Pursuant to this agreement: (I) the applicant has agreed to provide specific remedial consideration to the respondent in support of protecting the rights of data subjects in Nigeria; and (II) the respondent has inter alia agreed to set aside and waive any rights to enforce or take steps to enforce the Final Orders against the applicant.”
The settlement terms specifically read, “In the light of the foregoing: The applicant wholly and completely terminates, abandons, withdraws, and discontinues the Originating Summons as well as any and all claims against the respondent connected to or arising from the matters or the subject matter thereof, except as the parties have otherwise agreed.
“The respondent: (I) sets aside the Final Orders against Meta; and (II) save and except as the parties have otherwise agreed, fully and firmly releases and discharges Meta from any and all claims, demands, actions, causes of action, contracts, obligations, suits, debts, costs, liabilities, which the respondent ever had, may now have, or May hereafter claim to have against Meta in respect of the matters.”
Association Alleges Illegality In Settlement
But the Data Privacy Lawyers Association contended that the consent judgment was entered into unlawfully, arguing that it was done without lawful statutory authority, in violation of the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023, and in derogation of the constitutional right to privacy guaranteed under Section 37 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).
The Association further said the action was taken “to the grave prejudice of millions of affected Nigerians and the public interest, as well as the Federal Government of Nigeria.”
In the notice, the Association warned that unless the issues raised are urgently addressed within the statutory notice period, it would approach the Federal High Court to seek multiple reliefs.
These include an order setting aside, vacating, and nullifying the consent judgment on grounds of fraud, collusion, material non-disclosure, lack of statutory authority, and violation of the NDPA, 2023.
It is also seeking a declaration that the consent judgment is “null, void, unconstitutional, and of no legal effect,” as well as a declaration that the NDPC lacks statutory authority to waive, compro
Other reliefs sought include an order restoring and reviving the Final Order against Meta Platforms, including the $32.8 million fine, and an order restraining any further reliance on or enforcement of the consent judgment.
The Association also asked the court for other orders the Court may deem fit in the interest of justice, public accountability, and the protection of constitutional rights.
In the interest of transparency and accountability, the Association urged the NDPC to provide a written explanation of the legal basis for entering into the Terms of Settlement, clarify the statutory authority relied upon to waive the remedial fine and set aside the Final Order, and take steps to remedy the issues raised.
The letter, the Association said, constitutes the requisite pre-action notice under applicable law.
It warned that unless the concerns are satisfactorily addressed within 30 days of receipt of the notice, it will proceed to institute legal proceedings without further recourse.
mise, or extinguish liabilities, sanctions, or remedial fines arising from established violations of the Act.
Ecobank Guarantees Seamless Digital Banking Services Throughout the Christmas and Year-End Period
Banks quietly move to enforce new ₦50 transfer levy from Jan. 1
Nigeria’s Internet Usage Hits 1.24m Terabytes – NCC
World Bank Reveals Obstacles to Growth of Mobile Money Accounts in Sub-Saharan Africa
NCC Ranked Among Top 3 MDAs for Best Website Performance in 2025
Nigeria Records Highest Weekly Cyberattacks in Africa — Report
Cyber Tsunami Hits Nigeria as Breaches Surge 1,047%, esentry Q3 Report Reveals
Minister Claims Bandits Exploit Poor Network, Bounce Calls Off Multiple Towers
GenAI Adoption Among African workers Outpace Global Peers
Jumia’s Data Shows Nigerians Turning to Digital Retail to Navigate Inflation Pressures
General News3 days agoWoherem Proposes Pragmatic Roadmap to End Terrorism and Banditry in Nigeria
News2 days agoFIRS Declares NIN, CAC Numbers as Tax IDs from 2026
E-Financial2 days agoWorld Bank Reveals Obstacles to Growth of Mobile Money Accounts in Sub-Saharan Africa
Telecom2 days agoNCC Ranked Among Top 3 MDAs for Best Website Performance in 2025
Telecom1 day agoNigeria’s Internet Usage Hits 1.24m Terabytes – NCC
E-Financial2 hours agoBanks quietly move to enforce new ₦50 transfer levy from Jan. 1
General News2 hours agoEcobank Guarantees Seamless Digital Banking Services Throughout the Christmas and Year-End Period