. Customers lament repeated stress as NIMC denies server downturn
. NATCOMs confirms hitches, appeals to NCC for deadline extension
Fresh crisis appears to be brewing in the final push towards the September 14 deadline for the linking of the Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards to the National Identification Number (NIN) in Nigeria as continuous server downtime on the part of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) continued to frustrate the identity management process.
The Guardian gathered that telecoms operators have been having serious challenges in verifying subscribers’ NIN on NIMC servers due to repeated downtime.
According to information, this challenge has been on since last week, though not new, it has become a recurring issue and a major stumbling block to the completion of the entire process.
Consequently, subscribers have either had to wait several hours at telecommunication firms’ outlets across the country, still couldn’t get it done and some had to be turned back because of server downtime.
This scenario played out at MTN outlets at Berger, FataiAtere, Osolo Way, Ikeja Shopping Mall, Airtel office at Ilupeju, Ikeja, including Globacom outlets in Lagos and its environs.
This challenge implies that many subscribers, who have been told to either update or complete their registration processes, may not be able to complete the process in the next 10 days and might likely be yanked off the networks from September 15.
Besides, in the usual Nigerian manner, some of the affected subscribers are still at home….waiting until the very last minute, which would compound the already existing crisis.
Subscriber, Adenike Solanke, who spoke with The Guardian at the MTN Berger outlet in Lagos, said yesterday was the third time of coming to the centre for the update, “but the attendant kept telling us to come back because the NIMC server is down. This is frustrating and we have about 10 days to complete this process. I think the government needs to do something about this recurring issue.
“It will interest you to note that this is my fourth time being asked to come and update the SIM. I started it in October last year before the December prompting by NCC. If I scale through this time, which I am not sure due to this server issue, it will be the fourth time.”
Another subscriber asked, what is wrong with NIMC? What is wrong with Nigeria? Why can’t we just get this identity management right once and for all?
But when The Guardian reached out to NIMC, the commission denied any server downturn.
The President of the National Association of Telecoms Subscribers of Nigeria (NATCOMs), Chief DeoluOgunbanjo, confirmed the NIMC server downturn. “I can attest to it. I was at the MTN office in Ogba, Airtel at Omole and 9mobile near Nigeria Institute of Journalism (NIJ), Ogba, these telcos officials could not upload to the NIMC server. Subscribers were turned back.
“Now, we appeal to NCC to extend the deadline to September 30, hopefully, NIMC would have been able to resolve the server issue. There are no more subscribers that don’t want to link, but server downturn on the part of NIMC. I will want NCC to personally monitor the process by sending officials out to see things themselves,” he stated.
However, via a chat, Head of Corporate Communications, Kayode Adegoke, said: “No server downtime at NIMC. It is not true.” Already, there is serious anxiety in the country following the NCC deadline of September 14.
The Guardian reported last Thursday that over 50 million SIMs risked disconnection by the deadline. The NCC had informed that so far over 153 million SIMs have been successfully linked to a NIN, reflecting an impressive compliance rate of 96 per cent, a substantial increase from 69.7 per cent in January 2024.
The Commission said as the country approaches the final phase of this critical process, it will continue to seek the cooperation of all Nigerians to achieve 100 per cent compliance, stressing that the complete linkage of all SIM cards to NINs is essential for enhancing the trust and security of the digital economy.
NCC also revealed that through collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and the NIMC, it uncovered alarming cases where individuals possessed an unusually high number of SIM cards—some exceeding 100,000.
The Commission pledged commitment to working with security agencies and other stakeholders to crack down on the sale of pre-registered SIMs, thereby safeguarding national security and ensuring the integrity of mobile numbers in Nigeria.
“To ensure full compliance with the NIN-SIM linkage policy, the NCC has directed all Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) to complete the mandatory verification and linkage of SIMs to NINs by September 14, 2024.
“Effective September 15, 2024, the Commission expects that no SIM operating in Nigeria will be without a valid NIN,” NCC stated.(Guardian)
