The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has stated that its National Identification Number (NIN) verification portal is operational, despite ongoing complaints of service disruptions from telecom subscribers and operators.
Over the past few weeks, many Nigerians have reported difficulties in retrieving their phone numbers or completing SIM-related services. They attribute these issues to what they perceive as a prolonged downtime on the NIMC verification platform.
In Nigeria, the process of SIM swap requires identity verification, typically through the NIN. This verification helps prevent fraud and unauthorized access to mobile lines.
The disruption, which began the previous week, continued even after NIMC announced the restoration of its services.
However, NIMC denies that the problem originates from its end. Kayode Adegoke, the Head of Corporate Communications for the commission, told reporters that the portal is accessible and suggested the issue might lie with the telecom operators.
Also see: Democracy in Peril
“Our portal is up and running. It’s the same system that other important agencies use for verification and modifications,” Adegoke stated.
Last week, the commission announced the completion of a scheduled maintenance and the restoration of full service nationwide.
“NIMC wants to inform the public that the recent technical maintenance has been completed and all services have been restored,” the commission said in a statement.
The agency advised Nigerians seeking to enroll for NIN to visit its website to find the nearest enrollment center and encouraged the public to use its self-service portal for data modifications.
NIMC also encouraged users to download its NameAuth app (oath.app), available on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store, to verify and authenticate their NINs.
Despite these assurances, mobile users continue to experience difficulties in accessing essential telecom services linked to NIN verification, particularly SIM replacement.
