It is no longer news that all telecom operators in Nigeria have been directed to update their subscriber records so their National Identification Numbers (NINs) will be captured. This directive was given in February 2020 and made public in December of the same year when the rate of kidnapping by bandits and other criminals reached its unbearable level.
Since December, the federal government has extended the deadline for the conclusion of the exercise five times. Though it is not clear whether the current deadline of Monday, July 26, will be extended, Nigerians who have yet to link their mobile lines with NIN should know some things to help them register their lines.
According to the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), NIN which stands for National Identity Number is the 11-digit number that uniquely identifies you either as a citizen of Nigeria, or as a foreigner legally resident in Nigeria. The NIN is issued upon enrolment by the NIMC. NIMC is the government agency responsible for identity management in Nigeria.
Everyone is to enrol for their NIN individually. It is a personal identity number which bears the biometrics of an individual, so no one can do the enrolment for another.
You can confirm your NIN in two easy steps: Check the slip issued to you by NIMC when you enrolled. Your NIN is the 11-digit number on the top left-hand corner of the slip; or dial *346# on your phone and press 1 to retrieve your NIN. But you can only retrieve your NIN on the same phone number you registered with NIMC.
Other government institutions, state governments and private companies have been approved by NIMC as Enrolment Centres to enrol citizens for the NIN. Mobile operators have also been licensed and will soon be carrying out the enrolment of their subscribers and other eligible citizens.
The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami had said early this year that the Bank Verification Number (BVN) was being harmonized with NIMC. This therefore means that some BVN holders have been automatically allocated NIN. BVN holders are advised to dial *346# with the mobile number linked to their BVN to confirm if they have been allocated a NIN. However, NINs generated via BVN must be verified and validated by NIMC.
The federal government had already licensed 173 Private Sector Agents and thirty (30) State Governments/Public Sector Institutions to conduct enrolment of all persons, including legal residents into the National Identity Database (NIDB) on behalf of NIMC.
NIMC had also licensed foreign enrolment partners to register Nigerians in the diaspora and issue them the NIN. Please click https://www3.nimc.gov.ng/diaspora/ for details of diaspora enrolment.
Channels for integration of SIM to NIN have also been put in place for Nigerians in the Diaspora. This includes using the mobile applications provided by the respective operators and the application recently launched by NIMC. This can be downloaded from the Apple and Google App Stores.
All legally resident foreigners (i.e. non-Nigerians living and working in Nigeria) are to obtain a NIN just like Nigerian citizens. They can do this by submitting valid resident/work permits at NIMC enrolment centres.
However, foreigners on tourist or visiting visas are to tender their international passports to acquire a SIM. But where such a visiting foreigner or tourist’s immigration status changes to residency or work permit, he/she will be required to obtain NIN and link the registered SIM.
But NIN does not confer citizenship on foreigners but only serves to identify a person (citizens and legal residents).
Whose job is it to update the SIM Registration Records with NIN? Is it the Network Providers, NIMC or NCC?
How to retrieve your NIN
You can dial *346# on your phone to retrieve your NIN.
Alternatively, you can visit any NIMC office close to you.
Link your NIN to your Mobile Numbers using the NIMC Mobile ID App
Learn how to obtain the app at https://nimc.gov.ng/mobile-digital-id/
Open the app and log in with your security PIN.
Tap on the ‘My Devices’ button on the bottom right part of your dashboard on the app.
Tap on ‘Add Mobile Number’ and input the mobile phone number you wish to link.
Next input the OTP sent to that mobile phone number.
You can link up to seven (7) mobile phone numbers.
Link your NIN to your Airtel Mobile Number
Visit https://www.airtel.com.ng/nin/
Or you can dial *121*1#
Link your NIN to your MTN Mobile Number
Visit https://mtnonline.com/nin/
Or you can dial *785#
Link your NIN to your Glo Mobile Number
Visit https://www.gloworld.com/ng/nin/
SMS “UPDATENIN NIN FirstName LastName” to 109
Link your NIN to your 9mobile Number
Visit http://www.9mobile.com.ng/nin
Or you can dial *200*8#
The government said SIM cards/phone lines that are not registered with NIN will be blocked at the end of the exercise. “Government may however introduce other measures it deems necessary in the best interest of all Nigerians in future’’, NIMC said.
Sources: www.nimc.gov.ng, http://www.ncc.gov.ng, www.mtnonline.com/nin/, www.airtel.com.ng/nin/www.gloworld.com/ng/nin/ and www.gloworld.com/ng/nin/.
