The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, has given conditions that would prevent the continuation of the registration process of the National Identification Number (NIN).
Pantami said that the process would be halted only if the federal government imposed another lockdown over the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.
He stated this on Channels TV’s Politics Today show on Friday, stating that the ministry and the NIMC and mobile network operators would have a roundtable meeting to review the process.
He said that until the announcement of a lockdown, those who are enrolling should adhere to the coronavirus guidelines laid out by the government.
Pantami said, “If a second lockdown is enforced, then, the ministerial taskforce including NIMC and all mobile network operators will sit immediately and review. The task force meets usually within one week.
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“So, when there is a second lockdown, we are citizens, we must respect the Federal Government’s directives. When there is any announcement, we will come back to the drawing board immediately and review the whole thing. But now, it has not been announced and these (Covid-19) guidelines are to be respected.”
The government issued a directive that all Nigerians should link their NIN to their SIM cards and those who fail to do so will have their lines blocked.
For those who already have their NIN, the deadline for the enrolment process has been moved to January 19, while those without have until February 9 to complete it.