The Federal Government is planning to meet with telecommunications operators to discuss the recent court judgement that stopped the government from disconnecting SIM cards not linked to National Identity Numbers (NIN) by April 6.
A Federal High Court in Lagos State had barred the government from blocking SIM cards not linked to NINs in April.
A former second National Vice-President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and human rights lawyer, Monday Ubani, had filed an originating motion and asked the court to stop the Nigerian Communications Commission from disconnecting all SIM cards not linked to NINs.
The defendants in the suit include the Federal Government, Attorney General of the Federation, the NCC and the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy.
It was gathered that the recent court order barring the Federal Government from blocking SIM cards not linked to NINs in April would be considered in a meeting that would hold before the April 6, 2021 deadline.
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The planned meeting was further confirmed by the President, Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria, Ikechukwu Nnamani.
Nnamani said, “The minister will make a determination on it when it gets close to the time. There will be an implementation review meeting just before the due date to ascertain if it is necessary to extend the time.
“However, we encourage everyone to go and get their NIN and not assume it will be extended.”
On December 15, 2020, the Federal Government declared that after December 30, 2020, all SIMs that were not registered with valid NINs on the network of telecommunications companies would be blocked.
