Subscribers may be restricted to three phone lines

An individual may no longer be able to own more than three phone lines going by a directive handed down to the Nigerian Communications Commission by Isa Pantami, the minister of communications and digital economy.

The directive was based on security considerations.

Pantami directed the NCC to revise the policy on SIM card registration and usage, according to a statement issued by Femi Adeluyi, his technical assistant on information technology.

The revised policy would ensure that, henceforth, the national identity number would become a compulsory requirement for registration of new SIM cards in the country.

The new policy would also put a cap on the number of mobile phone lines or SIM cards that could be obtained and registered by an individual.

Currently, many Nigerians have multiple mobile phone lines as they could buy as many as possible.

Pantami, in the directive issued to the NCC, suggested that an individual should not have more than three mobile phone lines or SIM cards.

While fresh registration of SIM card is to be accompanied with a subscriber’s NIN, all already registered SIM cards are to be updated with the identity number before December 1, 2020.

Similarly, foreigners are to use their passport and or visa numbers to register SIM cards.

Parts of the statement read, “The updated policy is expected to ensure that the National Identity Number becomes a prerequisite for Nigerians registering new SIM cards (while for foreigners, their passports and visas should be used), while already registered SIM cards are to be updated with NIN before December 1, 2020.

“There should be a maximum number of SIM cards that can be tied to a single individual, possibly a maximum of three.”

The NCC was equally directed to ensure that only fully accredited agents support the SIM card registration process without pre-registering SIM would be themselves, while the eventual registration should be done by the operators.

The commission was also ordered to ensure that, henceforth, no unregistered SIM is ever allowed on mobile networks.

According to the statement, the updated policy is expected to “ensure that subscribers can easily check the number of SIM cards registered to their name, along with the associated phone numbers and networks.”

The new policy would also make it mandatory for mobile network operators to fortify their networks against cyberattacks.

Provisions of the new policy would further compel the telcos to adhere to the provisions of the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation, which guards against any breach of the personal data.

The new policy, to be formulated by the NCC in line with the minister’s directive, would, in the same vein, ensure that SIM cards that have been used to perpetrate crime are permanently deactivated.

The NCC was directed to provide the minister with progress reports on the implementation of the revised policy.