Linking your SIMs to your National Identity Number (NIN) is now compulsory following the recent directive of the federal government which asked telecom companies to bar subscribers who are yet to do so from making outgoing phone calls.
Over 70 million subscribers have been affected by the development. Applicants sit under a tent waiting to obtain their NIN at the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) office, in Lagos state, on January 13, 2021.
For those affected, now there are multiple means to get your NIN linked to line. You can do the linking via your network providers such as MTN, Airtel, Glo and 9mobile. You can also do so via the NIMC mobile app named MWS: NIMC MobileID. It is available for download on Google Play Store (for Android phone users) and Apple App store (for iPhone users). For those who have more than one SIM cards, the minister of communications and digital economy, Dr Isa Pantami, has said that seven SIM cards can be linked to one NIN via the NIMC Mobile App.
This piece walks you through how to link up to seven SIM cards to your NIN via the NIMC mobile app.
Step 1: Download NIMC Mobile ID App – Download the original NIMC app. You can click here to download the app or go directly to Google Play Store (Android) and Apple App Store (iPhone) to download it
Step 2: Login with your NIN – Use your 11-digit NIN digits to login into the NIMC mobile app After log in, you will be presented with the menu containing six sections, namely: Show MY ID Get Virtual NIN Scan an ID Security PIN (Set up your security pin which you will be using for subsequent logins) Print NIN Slip (You can download and print your slip as earlier explained here).
Step 3: Click Link My Numbers – Here is where you will link up to seven numbers with the NIN. After clicking “Link My Numbers, enter the number you want to link. Note that the SIM must be active, that is, it must inserted into a phone. This will enable you to receive a One Time Password (OTP) for verification purposes via the SMS.
Step 4: Enter the OTP – After receiving the OTP via SMS, input into the box and hit submit. You will be notified if the linking is successful. All you need to do to link another SIM to your NIN is just repeat the process explained above.
In a related development, the National Identity Management Commission for Nigeria (NIMC) has announced the commencement of weekend NIN registration at all NIN enrollment centres nationwide.
According to the commission, the weekend enrollment will enable those yet to obtain their NIN to do so within the timeframe given by the federal government before enforcement of NIN-SIM linkage commences. The minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Pantami, urged citizens and legal residents to take advantage of the weekend enrollment.
Source: Legit