The Nigerian Communications Commission has directed Mobile Network Operators to immediately suspend the sale and activation of new SIM cards to allow an audit of the Subscriber Registration Database.
However, exemption might be granted following approval from the Federal Government through the commission.
This was disclosed in a statement on Wednesday by Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde, the Director, Public Affairs at NCC.
Adinde said that the suspension is absolutely necessary for operators to comply until the audit exercise as directed by the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Pantami, had been concluded.
Pantami, had directed the commission to embark on an audit of the Subscriber Registration Database according to Adinde.
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The audit would help to consolidate the achievement of the SIM Card registration exercise according to Adinde, warning that non-compliance with the directive would be met with strict sanctions, including the possibility of withdrawal of operating license.
NNC in march said it has deactivated all improperly-registered SIM cards across all mobile network operators in Nigeria.
“By our records, all improperly-registered Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) cards across Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) in Nigeria have been completely deactivated,” the Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, has said.
By: Ifunanya Ikueze
