Telecommunication companies ( Telcos) in Nigeria have pledged to work with the federal government to ensure compliance with its recent order that telecom subscribers provide their National Identity Numbers ( NIN) before they are connected to telecom services.
On Tuesday, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) gave telecommunications operators in the country two weeks to block all SIM cards that are not registered with the National Identity Numbers (NIN).
The Telcos who spoke under the auspices of the Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria ( ALTON) said however the process of ensuring compliance to the federal government directive would not be convenient but pledged “to fully comply with the two directives issued by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in the past week and to work closely with them to overcome this challenge, together”.
The ALTON statement signed by chairman Gbenga Adebayo and publicity secretary, Damian Udeh said: “As an industry, we recognise the importance of a strong national identity system and the critical contribution it will make to the accelerated growth of our digital economy.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has made the role of digital communications, products, and services even more important in our daily lives and it is a national challenge to ensure that the building blocks are in place to enable them to be provided safely and securely, to all.
“We are committed to working closely with all stakeholders to overcome this challenge and deliver an inclusive, value-adding digital economy Nigeria can be proud of. We fully understand the vital role that we, as digital operators, have to play in this process and we are collectively committed to investing in the systems, processes, and support structure that are required to enable it.
“We understand that this process will be inconvenient for subscribers, and we are committed to ensuring we provide the information and support that you will need to manage this transition.
“Our focus is on minimising the disruption that it will cause and as the delivery mechanisms are developed, we will provide further information.
“We continue to seek your cooperation and understanding as we work with the Government in ensuring a reliable National Identity Ecosystem”, the statement concluded..
