The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) will soon be determining the number of phone lines an individual can use. This is according to the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Patami.
While speaking in Abuja, the minister said a new policy was in progress, that would ensure that existing subscribers of telecommunications services who want new lines, must give a detailed explanation of why their request for new lines should be granted.
Patami maintained that henceforth, individuals who already had phone lines must be made to explain why they were requesting new SIM cards.
Prior to this development, the Federal Government had disclosed plan to beef up security in the country.
Following the discovery of a subscriber that registered 57 SiM cards, all bearing his name, from the same network, a development Patami said posed security challenge, the federal government said the need to review the policy on SIM card registration cannot be overemphasized.
[READ MORE: NCC, Infracos to boost broadband infrastructure with N265 billion)
According to Patami, in order to ensure Nigeria is safe for everyone to live, NCC will determine whether the number of mobile phone lines that could be used by an individual should be three, or more, or less.
“In many nations, when you have one SIM card, if you need another one, you must provide justification for that. We should make it flexible. If there is need for more, there should be justification,” Patami was quoted by Punch saying.
Stressing that NCC had a major role in addressing insecurity in the country, he added,, “We should not allow criminals to use the sector that is under our supervision to commit crime.”
Nairametrics had reported the issuance of a directive by the minister. Aside from instituting the users in Nigeria will no longer have more than three SIM cards, Patami instructed that no SIM should be registered without individuals’ National Identity Number (NIN) or foreigners’ passport/visa number.
The minister as well gave a deadline to Nigerians to update their SIM already in use with NIN.
Just note that by this action, fringe players in the telecomms industry will be forced out of the market.