Telecom
FG Lifts Ban on New SIM Cards Activation
Federal Government has approved the Activation of New SIM Registration with Mandatory NIN in line with the Revised National Digital Identity Policy for SIM Card Registration
Dr Femi Adeluyi, Technical Assistant (Information Technology) to the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy disclosed this in a statement on Thursday, in Abuja.
He stated that this is in accordance with Nigerian Communications Act (NCA) 2003, Section 23(a), specifies the role of the Minister to include the formulation, determination and monitoring of the general policy for the communications sector.
He noted that in line with the Act, Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, minister of Communications and Digital Economy, on behalf of President Muhammadu Buhari, coordinated and led the development of a Revised National Digital Identity Policy for SIM Card Registration in collaboration with all other stakeholders.
It would be recalled that an earlier Policy was approved on the 4th of February 2020, while the Revised Policy was developed in early March 2021.
The final amendments to the revised Policy based on the directives of Mr President to make the use of NIN mandatory for all SIM registration were completed yesterday, 14th of April, 2021.
Prior to that, the key aspects of the draft Policy were presented to the stakeholders at the 4th Review Meeting of the Ministerial Task Force (MTF) on the NIN-SIM registration which held on Friday, 26th of February, 2021. Key stakeholders and members of the MTF who joined the Honourable Minister at the meeting included the EVC/CEO of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), DG/CEO of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), DG/CEO of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) and the Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON).
Others included the NCC Executive Commissioners for Technical Services and Stakeholder Management, MD/CEOs of MTN, Airtel, EMTS (9Mobile), NTEL, Spectranet and SMILE, as well as the COO of Glo.
Dr Pantami also presented the Revised Policy to His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR on Friday, 26th of March, 2021.
Mr President made further improvements and endorsed it for implementation. Mr President also commended the Honourable Minister for his commitment in carrying out the responsibility of developing the digital economy sector, including championing the NIN-SIM registration process.
The Policy includes Guidelines on New SIM Acquisition and Activation, SIM Replacement, New SIM Activation for Corporates and Internet-of-Things/Machine-to-Machine (IoT/M2M), amongst others.
The statement further stated that “possession of a National Identity number will be a prerequisite for each of these categories. Corporate registration, institutions will be required to appoint a Telecoms Master (at the minimum of an Executive Management level) to provide the operational Primary NIN representation.
“The Telecoms Master will also be responsible to ensuring that the users provide their NINs to serve as a Secondary NIN.
“For IoT/M2M activations, SIM security protocols would be implemented on the SIM profile to ensure that SIMs can only be used for point to point data services specific to the URL they are working with. All other services will be barred.
“In the event that a data only service is particular to individual use (eg home car tracking, WiFi, MiFi services, etc), the standard NIN registration process will be followed.
“A Telecoms Master will also be required for Corporates requiring IoT/M2M activations. The full details of the requirements for each class of service will be made available in due course.
“Significant progress has been made in the NIN registration process across the country.
“Nonetheless, the Federal Government is committed to supporting all Nigerians and legal residents to obtain a NIN.
“The biometric verification process has been slower than anticipated, owing largely to the non-adherence of many previous SIM biometric capture processes to the NIMC standards.
“The Revised Policy will ensure that operators conform to the required standards for biometric capture.
“The Guidelines in the Policy have been painstakingly developed and while they are thorough, it should be noted that they have been developed that way in National interest since the SIM is essentially a national resource.
“Citizens and legal residents are encouraged to bear with the government as the process has been developed in the best interest of the country.
“The implementation of the Policy will commence on Monday, 19th of April 2021.
“The issuance of New SIMs and other suspended activities will resume on the same date, as long as verification is done and the guidelines are fully adhered to.
“The Honourable Minister has also directed NCC and NIMC to ensure that the provisions of the Policy are strictly followed by all operators and subscribers.”
Dr Pantami thanked Nigerians for their patience and compliance with the Federal Government’s directive on the NIN-SIM registration exercise.
He reiterated government’s commitment to continually taking decisions aimed at easing the pains of the citizens with regard to issues related to NIN and SIM registration.
MTN Nigeria has alerted the public to a fraudulent 25GB anniversary data offer currently circulating across social media and messaging platforms.
In an official advisory published on its support handle on X at the weekend, the telco warned customers against interacting with unverified links, sharing private credentials, or making payments to access the supposed anniversary promotion.
According to MTN, the official 25GB anniversary freebie is only accessible via the MTN eShop and the MyMTN NG App.
In the post, the company said, “Please beware of fake MTN 25th Anniversary 25GB giveaway offers circulating online.
“The official MTN 25GB Anniversary Giveaway is available ONLY via the MyMTN NG App and MTN eShop.
“Do not click on links, share your personal information or make payments on any other platform claiming to offer the giveaway.
“Only trust official MTN channels.”
In a different post, the provider explained how eligible subscribers could access the legitimate MTN data giveaway.
The company said, “Log in to the MyMTN App and tap ‘Redeem Now’ on the anniversary banner or via the MTN eShop.
“To access the 25GB offer, kindly visit the MyMTN App or the MTN E-Shop and follow the prompts to activate the bundle, if you are eligible for the offer.
“You may also click on the link contained in the SMS notification you received regarding the offer.”
To safely claim the reward, the telecom operator advised subscribers to rely strictly on details published through its official communication channels.
MTN added that the complimentary 25GB data allocation remains valid until 11:59 p.m. on the designated expiration date, urging eligible customers to redeem the package before it expires.
The warning follows a wave of viral posts and link-sharing schemes falsely offering free data under the guise of the company’s 25th-anniversary celebration.
Consequently, users are strongly cautioned against engaging with unauthorized platforms or providing sensitive personal information and fees to third-party sites claiming to offer the promotional data.
Nigeria is strengthening its position as a leading digital economy in Africa as it prepares to host the second edition of GITEX Nigeria, against projections that the continent’s artificial intelligence (AI) economy could generate up to $1 trillion in economic value by 2035.
GITEX Nigeria
GITEX Nigeria, described as West Africa’s largest technology, AI and startup event, is scheduled to hold in Abuja and Lagos from Aug. 31 to Sept. 3, under the patronage of President Bola Tinubu.
The event is supported by the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy in collaboration with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), endorsed by the Lagos State Government and organised by KAOUN International.
With the theme, “Beyond Connectivity: The Bridge to Sovereign Innovation,” the 2026 edition is expected to bring together global technology companies, investors, policymakers, regulators, startups and other stakeholders to advance Nigeria’s digital transformation agenda.
According to the organisers, the event will focus on strengthening digital resilience, scaling AI infrastructure, attracting strategic investments and building partnerships to support digital sovereignty across Nigeria and West Africa.
Nigeria’s progress in digital skills development is expected to feature prominently at the event, with the Federal Government’s 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme highlighted as a major intervention.
The programme has recorded 1.87 million registrations across all 774 local government areas, while more than 135,000 Nigerians have been trained through three cohorts.
The programme has also extended learning opportunities to more than 300,000 people through community resources and created 15,000 job and opportunity pathways, according to figures released by the organisers.
Another key initiative, Project BRIDGE, is aimed at expanding Nigeria’s national ICT backbone and improving connectivity in underserved communities.
The project is expected to create up to 20,000 direct jobs and more than 150,000 indirect jobs, train 5,000 Nigerian youths, raise internet penetration above 70 per cent and extend high-speed connectivity to millions of households, businesses, schools and hospitality establishments.
Dr Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, said Nigeria’s objective was to build the foundations for digital sovereignty and a globally competitive AI-powered economy.
“Building on the momentum forged through the implementation of Project BRIDGE, our national blueprint for expanding digital infrastructure and connecting communities across Nigeria, our aspiration ahead of this year’s edition is clear: to solidify the foundations Africa needs for digital sovereignty, technological self-determination, and a globally competitive AI-powered economy,” Tijani said.
He said Nigeria was seeking to promote equitable access, accelerate cross-continental progress and position the country as a producer and exporter of digital technologies and AI solutions.
The GITEX Nigeria Government Leadership and AI Summit will open in Abuja on Aug. 31, bringing together ministers, governors and regulators to discuss digital public infrastructure and other issues shaping West Africa’s digital economy.
The GITEX Nigeria Tech Expo and Future Economy Conference, as well as the Startup Festival, will also return for the second consecutive year.
A new component, FDX Nigeria by GITEX, will focus on finance and digital asset exchange, with the organisers describing it as a platform designed to promote financial inclusion and connect emerging technology with global capital.
Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State said the state remained central to Africa’s digital transformation, noting its role in attracting talent, capital and innovation.
He said hosting GITEX Nigeria would further support Lagos’ ambition of becoming a smarter, more connected and globally competitive economy.
Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, Director-General of NITDA, said Nigeria’s digital future would depend not only on technology adoption but also on resilience, trust and effective governance frameworks.
“GITEX NIGERIA seamlessly complements this mandate, creating a unique environment for the dialogue needed to accelerate responsible AI adoption, develop a secure digital economy, and unlock new opportunities for innovation and economic growth,” Abdullahi said.
He said the expertise, investment and partnerships generated through the event would contribute to building an AI ecosystem that was secure, inclusive and capable of supporting Nigeria and West Africa’s long-term competitiveness.
The organisers said Nigeria’s National AI Strategy, 3MTT programme and Project BRIDGE were among initiatives strengthening the country’s capacity in talent development, digital infrastructure, investment attraction and responsible AI adoption.
They said GITEX Nigeria would provide an avenue for global stakeholders to establish partnerships and develop solutions capable of accelerating the region’s digital transformation.
Trixie LohMirmand, CEO of GITEX, said the event was intended to demonstrate that West Africa was ready to convert technological ambition into economic growth, resilience and global competitiveness.
She said GITEX Nigeria would facilitate strategic conversations and partnerships aimed at strengthening regional competitiveness and unlocking scalable growth across Nigeria and West Africa.
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Enugu State Government have signed an agreement for the operational lease of the NCC Digital Industrial Park and NCC Learning Centre in Enugu.
The agreement was witnessed by Dr Aminu Maida, Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NCC, alongside members of the Commission’s Board and Management.
The development is expected to strengthen digital innovation, skills development and technology-driven opportunities in the state.
As part of the engagement, the NCC delegation also visited the Enugu Smart School Initiative, where technology is being integrated into teaching and learning.
The initiative is aimed at equipping young Nigerians with relevant digital skills and preparing them for future opportunities in an increasingly technology-driven economy.
The NCC said it remained committed to supporting initiatives that expand digital inclusion, strengthen innovation and develop the talent required to drive Nigeria’s digital transformation.
The Commission said partnerships with state governments and other stakeholders were critical to creating an enabling environment for digital skills development and technology adoption across the country.
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