Minister urges NCC board to link SIM cards, national ID cards, BVN

The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Pantami, has called on the newly inaugurated Board of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to link up simcard registration to national Identification Card (ID Card) and Bank Verification Number (BVN).

Pantami, who made the call at the inauguration, which held at the ministry’s headquarters on Thursday, in Abuja, said that it was an important step to take as it was part of the policy of the present administration.

“Try to see how our sim registration will be linked up to our national identification card.

“It is also very important so that our BVN will all be linked up with our digital ID,” he said.

According to him, the policy is with regard to our achievement on handling 9.4 million sim cards, some are partially registered, some not completely registered.

“After that, President Muhammadu Buhari directed me to share that information with security agencies and also ask for their opinion on how to consolidate that achievement.

“As part of what they have sent to us, some responded that there are issues that we must address.

“One of them is total number of registered sim cards that each Nigerian should be allowed to have without difficulty.”

He further suggested that every individual should possibly have three sim cards as regards the policy sent to the NCC as part of regulation to the board.

The minister adviced that when individuals would need additional sim cards from the agreed number, they should provide justification in order to acquire more than the agreed number.

“In the document policy we have sent, we say possibly three, as part of regulation the board; we said possibly, possibly is not final.

“So it is flexible. This is based on what the Minister of Defence has sent to us,” he said.

Pantami urged the board members to work hard and not to take their work lightly.

In his remarks, The Board Chairman, Prof. Adeolu Akande, expressed happiness and gratitude for the opportunity and support to be of service to the commission.

Akande, who spoke on behalf of the newly-inaugurated board, promised on behalf of the board and management of NCC to meet up and exceed the minister’s expectations.

He thanked the minister for standing by them during their screening in the National Assembly.

The Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) NCC, Prof Umaru Danbatta thanked the minister for giving a full compliment to NCC’s governing board.

Danbatta wished the newly inaugurated board success in the discharge of their duties.