The Nigerian Government has approved the extension of the deadline for NIN-SIM data verification to July 26.

The earlier deadline would have lapse Wednesday, June 30. The deadline date has now been shifted for about seven times. The first deadline was December 30, 2020, two weeks after the exercise started in the country.

The latest decision to extend the deadline was made after a request by stakeholders on the need to consolidate the enrolment and NIN-SIM verification process following the rapid increase in the number of enrolment systems across the country.

As at June 28, a total of 5,410 enrolment systems are now available across the country and this would significantly ease the NIN enrolment process and subsequent linkage of NIN to SIM.

The enrolment system were just 800 as at December 2020.

A statement jointly signed by the Public Affairs Director, NCC, Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde and Head, Corporate Affairs, NIMC, Kayode Adegoke, on Tuesday, said the FG approved the extension as part of its effort to make it easier for its citizens and residents to obtain the NIN.

NIMC disclosed that there are now a total of 57.3 million unique NIN enrolments, with an average of three to four SIMs per NIN.

According to the statement, with the great number of enrolment centres across the country, every citizen and legal resident should be able to obtain their NINs.

The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Pantami, on behalf of the Federal Government, appreciates Nigerians for their patience and compliance with the Federal Government’s directive on the NIN-SIM registration exercise.

The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, Prof Umar Garba Dambatta, and the Director-General/CEO of that National Identity Management Commission, Aliyu Azeez, urge citizens and legal residents to make sure they use the opportunity to complete the process of enrolment and verification.