The Federal Government of Nigeria has invalidated the use of National Identification Numbers (NINs) generated through Bank Verification Numbers (BVN) for SIM integration, stating that affected individuals must now visit National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) offices for proper enrolment.
This development follows the successful migration of all telecom operators in Nigeria to NIMC’s upgraded identity verification system known as NINAuth. Announcing the move on Wednesday, the Commission explained that the new platform significantly enhances the security, control, and efficiency of the NIN verification process.
In a statement signed by NIMC’s Head of Corporate Communications, the Commission said the public should direct all issues related to NIN-SIM registration, SIM swaps, welcome-back SIMs, and related complaints to their respective telecom providers, not NIMC.
“The NINAuth platform enhances data protection, gives control of personal data to the owners, offers seamless verification, and provides convenient sign-on access to services,” the statement said.
With the NINAuth platform now fully adopted, NIMC said it marks a significant shift in Nigeria’s digital identity ecosystem by putting more control in the hands of citizens while improving verification speed and data protection across public and private services.
NIMC reassured the public that its Verification and Authentication Service platforms remain operational and accessible for lawful identity checks. However, individuals using BVN-linked NINs that were not fully enrolled through biometric capture at NIMC will need to visit its offices to complete their registration if they intend to link their SIM cards or access telecom services.
This shift comes after a wave of disruptions earlier in the month, which left millions of Nigerians unable to access SIM-related services due to the migration process. Telecom companies were temporarily unable to carry out real-time identity verification required for new SIM activations, swaps, and other essential services. MTN and Airtel have since confirmed that normal services have resumed following the completion of the migration.
The NIN-SIM linkage, which became mandatory in 2020, is part of Nigeria’s strategy to strengthen digital security and reduce identity fraud. With the new NINAuth system fully in place, NIMC says telcos are now equipped to manage these services more efficiently.
