President Bola Tinubu has established an inter-ministerial committee to investigate reports of telecommunications providers linking National Identification Numbers (NIN) to subscribers’ SIM cards without their consent.
Sources within the Presidency confirmed that Tinubu gave the directive on Tuesday during the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the State House, Abuja.
The committee includes the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu; Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo; Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu; Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani; and Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda.
Tinubu tasked the committee with investigating the issue and ensuring the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction has accurate data for its operations.
Reports indicate that some telecom providers linked customers’ NINs to mobile lines without consent, with some subscribers discovering that their NINs were associated with multiple unknown lines. Consumer advocacy groups have called for investigations, citing concerns over data protection and privacy violations.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has also launched a separate investigation, following a motion by Rep. Patrick Umoh and Prof. Julius Ihonvbere. Umoh warned that unauthorised NIN-SIM linkages could expose citizens to identity theft, financial fraud, and wrongful criminal accusations, violating the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023.
The House directed its Committees on Communications and Interior to investigate and submit a report within four weeks, while urging the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to take immediate action against erring telecom operators.
