NCC deactivates 2.2m improperly registered SIM cards

By Anthony Isaac

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said all improperly registered Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) Cards across Telecommunication networks in Nigeria have been deactivated.

The Executive Vice Chairman (EVC), NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta who stated this in Abuja said the commission’s effort was in line with the key agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari to strengthen security of lives and property for all Nigerians.

A statement by NCC’s Director Public Affairs, Dr Henry Nkemadu on Sunday quoted him saying that “we have since initiated the second phase of SIM deactivation based on the Ministerial directive and as at today, we have completely deactivated the remaining 2.2 million lines on the networks.

“This is contrary to reports by a section of the media, suggesting that nothing has been done with respect to the issue of improperly registered SIM cards.

“Following the September 2019 Ministerial directive, however, the NCC, within a week, intensified efforts by reducing the number of improperly registered SIM cards from 9.2 million to 2.2 million,” he said.

He, however, said that over the years, the NCC had worked with determination and through various policy initiatives, to rid mobile networks of improperly or invalidly registered SIM cards.

The EVC explained that this was to ensure that all the current over 184 million registered SIM cards across Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) networks had valid data that were traceable and not anonymous.

According to him, our efforts received a boost, following the implementation of a Sept. 12, 2019 Ministerial directive that the NCC should compel service providers to block all improperly-registered SIM cards, pending when their owners regularise their registration.

“As at the time the Ministerial order was issued, the Commission, through its Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement team, had reduced the number of improperly-registered SIM cards on mobile networks in the country to 9.2 million.”

He recalled that the Commission had, in June 2019, commenced the second round of comprehensive verification audit of MNOs’ SIM card registrations as part of the Commission’s ongoing regulatory interventions.

The EVC said that the regulations were the setting up of the SIM Registration Industry Task Force, which led to several resolutions including the Industry Working Group (IWG) on harmonisation of SIM registration process.

He also said that the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) was inclusive to ensure a clean SIM database, adding that the audit exercise was concluded in August 2019.