The Association of Bursars of Nigerian Universities (ABNU) has hinted that several of its members have been to Ghana to evaluate the university revenue generation system.
This , according to the association was done to improve support for Nigerian academic institutions in the face of decreasing statutory allocation.
This was revealed by the Association’s National Chairman, Dr. Victor Imagbe, on Monday in Abuja at the Association’s ongoing Annual Conference and Award.
Imagbe, who is also the Bursar at the University of Benin, stated that the Association had initiated active orientation for its members on how to get intervention money through TETFUND, in addition to searching for ways to enhance school revenue creation.
He noted that, as administrators of the university system, bursars have used their skills to maintain industrial harmony and a calm environment by routinely meeting with all unions.
According to him, the award granted by his Association to both the Accountant General of the Federation, Alhaji Ahmed Idris, and the Executive Secretary of TETFUND, Prof. Suleiman Bogoro, was meant to both recognize and motivate others.
He said, ” We have sent delegation to Ghana to understudy the revenue generation in their Universities system. We need to collaborate to ensure that we have a world class Universities. We have also been collaborating with universities outside the country.
” The conference will give all the bursars to understand how to access funds available at TETFUND and the reports they are supposed to be monitoring and proper management of the intervention of the funds that TETFUND is managing.
” Bursars have always been having meetings to address some of the issues within the University system. Apart from funding which is a major challenge in the system. We want to look at how you can generate funds , attract investment and intervention funding to Universities.
” We have encountered our members that they should be able to attract funding. Almost all the Bursars are already becoming academicians, most of them have become Ph.D holders and they know the importance of education.
” As managers of the Universities we are also ensuring a peaceful environment, and that is why we always have meetings with all the unions in the school to give them adequate information, so that they will not hold government to ransom”, Imagbe added.
President Muhammadu Buhari will leave Abuja on Sunday, October 31 for Glasgow, Scotland, to attend the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’s 26th Conference of Parties (COP26) (UNFCCC).
On Tuesday, November 2, the President is due to deliver his national statement during the conference’s High-Level session for Heads of State and Government.
Buhari’s speech at the summit is scheduled to highlight Nigeria’s primary priorities and actions to combat climate change, as well as progress on the country’s transition to a low-carbon economy in line with the Paris Climate Agreement.
The meeting, hosted by the UK in collaboration with Italy, will bring parties together to assist accelerate action toward the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Given Nigeria’s leadership in climate action and as a signatory to the Paris Agreement, COP 26 will provide a unique opportunity for the Nigerian delegation to collaborate with other parties to advance the conference’s main goals, which include securing global net zero by mid-century and keeping 1.5 degrees Celsius within reach; adapting to protect communities and natural habitats; and mobilizing the much-needed funds to meet the set targets.
According to Garba Shehu, President Buhari’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, President Buhari would attend certain side events held by US President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron in Glasgow.
He will be accompanied by Geoffrey Onyeama, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sharon Ikeazor, Minister of State for Environment, Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno (Rtd), and Amb. Ahmed Rufai Abubakar, Director-General, National Intelligence Agency.
Buhari will then go to Paris, France, on an official visit to reciprocate the French President, Emmanuel Macron’s, earlier visit to Nigeria, as well as attend the Paris Peace Forum 2021, the fourth edition to be hosted by the French President.
It will bring together Heads of State and Government, CEOs of key multinational corporations, and many civil society players to develop tangible solutions to the immense difficulties faced by the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as to improve global governance in COVID-19 times.
The Summit will focus on fostering a more stable and inclusive recovery by addressing the various gaps in global governance, launching efforts to better care for the global commons, and proposing new action principles for the post-COVID world.
The Nigerian government will host the Nigeria-Paris Forum while the President is in Paris.
The event is intended to draw a gathering of Nigerian and French businessmen, government and business executives, diplomats, and journalists in the hopes of exhibiting potential on both sides and bringing awareness to bear on Nigeria’s current security, economic, and investment conditions.
He is scheduled to return to the country following the engagements.
The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) is certain that the yearly allocation to the National Research Fund (NRF) will exceed N10 billion by 2022.
Professor Suleiman Bogoro, Executive Secretary of TETFund, stated that the agency’s Board of Trustees has approved N8.5 billion for NRF funding in 2021.
Bogoro made the remarks during a virtual conference on ‘Democratization of Higher Education in Nigeria through Open Access,’ which was co-hosted by TETFund and the Training Centre in Communication, Nairobi, as part of activities commemorating International Open Access Week.
According to the TETFund Boss, the Board of Trustees generously accepted N5 billion for NRF in 2019 following the agency’s petition, which was increased to N7.5 billion in 2020 and N8.5 billion in 2021.
“Over the last two and a half years, we have raised monies available for study,” he says.
There are two types of grants: institution-based grants and National Research Fund grants.
According to him , “Over the last two and half years now, we have raised funds available for research. They are two categories; institution based and National Research Fund.
” The institution based has a ceiling of about may be $3,600 US dollars and it is for mainly basic research while the higher ceiling grant of about 92 or 93 US dollars is the National Research Fund aimed at promoting applied research, and to that extent, in 2019, I made case to the Board of Trustees of TETFund to increase the threshold.
” It used to be a kind of seed money. Seed money of N4 billion for eight years but from the year 2019 to last year and this year, we increased it to N5 billion annually. Last year we increased it from N5 billion to N7.5 billion and this year it is N8.5 billion and we are hoping in 2022 it will move to N10 billion”.
He hinted that NRF is one of the major platforms put in place by the government through TETFund to support the academic community in research to achieve specific objectives, particularly in the area of science, technology and innovation.
While expressing the readiness of TETFund to always mainstream open access/science through massive support for Research and Development (R&D), Bogoro said the Fund had recently established 12 Centres of Excellence across the country.
He said the move was aimed at supporting cutting-edge research mainly in universities so as to provide solutions to various problems bedeviling the society as well as position Nigeria as a major player in the knowledge economy.
“We are increasing emphasis on Science, Technology and Innovation to solve societal problems,” Bogoro said, even as he said democratisation of higher education in Nigeria would improve more access to research and its supportive platforms to the schools and the society.
Bogoro also revealed that TETFund has developed a project impact tracking system to evaluate the correlation of its spendings on research and results so far achieved.
“Precisely and coinciding with the time, we realised that we need to know the impact of our research and so we have worked on and concluding a process of software that will help us to evaluate the impact of the research grants, so that we are not just throwing money on research exercise but we need to evaluate the impact, ” he said.
Also speaking at the webinar, the Technical Adviser to the TETFund’s Executive Secretary, Dr Popoola Mustapha Ayodele, harped on the decolonisation of education research and technology in Africa.
He said, “Our educational system is still colonised, we must do away with old traditions and adopt new paradigms…., the traditional practice of closed systems should be done away with” .
FCT Minister Malam Muhammad Musa Bello has said that Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) plans to develop an all-inclusive medical city in Abuja.
While adding that efforts were also underway to make Abuja a center for medical excellence to mitigate medical tourism abroad.
According to him, this would feature world-class lodgings for international doctors, patients, relationships and tourists, who require only short walks to get to the medical centers in the medical city.
This indication was expressed by Bello when members of his FCT Chair, Dr. Celestine Unie, received the FCTA courtesy visit by the Nigerian Urological Surgeons Association.
In the words of the Minister, “Usually, as a city, we try to encourage these gatherings. Actually, we are trying to position the city of Abuja as a conference centre and gradually, we are also trying to encourage it to be a centre of medical excellence so that we can really stem the tide of medical tourism”.
“Already under construction, which I can share with you are very important centres of medical excellence. For instance, the Afreximbank, which is a multilateral financial institution headquartered in Cairo Egypt, for which Nigeria is a major shareholder, is already constructing a 500-bed multifaceted facility to be managed by one of the international medical groups, the Minister” added
He equally use the medium to pledged the support of the FCT Administration for the activities of medical professionals towards the development of the Territory’s health sector while stating that stakeholders in the Abuja project are being encouraged to join hands with the Administration towards making the FCT a Centre of Medical Excellence.
Commending the decision of the association to hold its Annual Medical Conference in Abuja, the Minister expressed satisfaction with the cordial relationship between the FCTA and medical professionals and the role the latter have played in the development of the FCT health sector.
The Minister said that the unique location of Abuja makes it the best choice for conferences and that the nation’s capital was gradually being recognised as a hub for conference tourism in Africa.
Earlier, the leader of the delegation, Dr. Celestine Undie, had solicited the support of the FCTA towards the success of the association’s Annual Conference scheduled to hold in Abuja.
He said the conference will bring together urologists from across the country in the diaspora to share knowledge and ideas while complicated urological surgeries would be performed by the visiting surgeons during the period.
Also present at the meeting were: the Acting Secretary of the Health and Human Services Secretariat, Dr. Mohammed Kawu, Head, Medical Services, Hospital Management Board, Dr. Osagie Osayande and other staff of the FCTA.
Former Deputy President Senate, Ike Ekweremadu has urged the newly elected leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the just concluded 2021 National Elective Convention in Abuja to extend hands of fellowship and assuage aggrieved members of the party.
Saying, Nigeria is in dire need of rescue from the clutches of divisiveness, criminal cartels, vaunting bandits and insurgents, collapsing economy (to put it mildly), and secessionist agitations occasioned by injustice and marginalization;” the PDP must mobilize to rescue the country from poor governance while redirecting it to development and economic growth.
This was contained in a which was signed by his Media Adviser, Uche Anichukwu, the former Deputy President of the Senate noted that the election “would give the PDP the much-needed renewed vigour and focus required to rescue Nigeria.
“There is no doubt that we have in place a highly promising team led by a widely-accepted, disciplined, experienced, and pan-Nigerian politician in the person of Distinguished Senator Iyorchia Ayu, that will help mobilize party faithful and Nigerians at home and the Diaspora for the success of this mission.”
Senator Ekweremadu who also chaired the Screening Appeal Panel of the Convention further commended the leaders and elders of the party, and also the Chairman of the National Convention Planning Committee and Adamawa State, Ahmadu “giving the party a highly transparent, seamless, and credible convention,” adding that its success “has disappointed the evil wishers.”
“We are one big family and the larger national and party interest should always prevail, especially at a time like this when the nation is seriously threatened,” he noted.
Dr. Joe Okei Odumekin, widow of Afenifère’s late spokesman Yinka Odumakin, was delivered of twins- boys and girls in a US hospital with on Wednesday 27 October 2021.
The mother and the babies are very healthy.
The “miracle” birth fulfilled Odumakin’s request that a new baby be named after him towards the end of his stay on earth.
The couple got married in 1997, had their first baby girl in 2000 and the second, a boy, in 2003. While the girl was named after Joe, the boy was named Abraham after the late Afenifere leader, Pa Abraham Adesanya.
The girl’s was named after Joe and Abraham was named after Pa Abraham Adesanya, the late head of the Afenifere.
18 years after the last birth, the twins came.
After surviving a 3-day coma in 2020, and a few months before falling into the disease that eventually claimed his life but unexpectedly, he and his wife had a great yearning for a new child.
Thank God Joe didn’t dither or dilute, since she took the time he got sick and never recovered.
Joe had great news, but he have never heard word of his wishes because he didn’t make it out of the ventilator .
He had prophesied, however, what the baby or the baby need to be called if his wishes become reality.
YO was so accurate in his predictions that he provided the babies’ names and advised his wife how he may raise the children.
While many may interpret this to mean that YO had premonition about his death, it was only a strong desire expressed by him to have babies that he would dot over and who would possibly step into his “aluta” shoes.
In the run-up to the elections of February 2022, about 4000 supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Party of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) defected from their Opposition Parties to join the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC).
FCT Minister of State Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu welcomed the decampees to the fold of the APC and guaranteed the ruling party members justice and equality whilst urging those who still have to join.
She expressed enthusiasm that the majority are former leaders of the PDP and the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) opposition in the Federal Capital, describing the event as a “harvest,” with over 4,000 members. The minister said he was very excited about this event.
In addition, Aliyu challenged them to use their political influence to support the party in 2022 and beyond.
In turn, she took the opportunity to urge both the old members and the new members of the ruling party to work in peace, to respect the law and to emphasize the predominance of the decision of the party.
According to her; “we are here today to receive over 4,000 of our brothers and sisters who have decided on their own to join the ruling APC. They came from various political parties especially the major opposition parties, the PDP and APGA. We appreciate them.
“They have keyed into the agenda of the second term of the incumbent chairman, the second term of credible governance, the second term of competent leadership, the second term of solid management of our common patrimony in Kwali area council”.
Aliyu, who acknowledged that the occasion was not to kick off campaign for the council elections, however, tasked party members to support continuity in governance.
Earlier, the APC Chairman in FCT Abdulmalik Usman, revealed that some of the decampees are founding members of the All Progressives Congress before they jumped ship
His words , “Today we are here to make another history, the history of receiving our brothers, some of whom we started this party together. Our brothers and sisters whom we struggled hard to form this party at that time. So it is a welcome back home for these members sitting here today.
“Honourable minister, you know Kwali very well because Kwali and Gwagwalada are 5 and 6. When we were in opposition, never had PDP tried us in this two area councils. We are here to receive these people back home. They travelled somewhere and they said the atmosphere there is not conducive for them.
“Coming back home, they are back to meet their brothers and sisters in good health and we have nothing against them than to receive them back to their house. We are not here to campaign because we don’t want anybody to indict our party”.
He expressed the confidence that come February 12, 2022, the APC will win the entire six area councils and the 62 wards in the nation’s capital.
Responding on behalf of other decampees, Usman Jiya, Former APGA Aspirant, assured party faithful that their return to APC was to consolidate on the achievements recorded by the incumbent chairman of Kwali area council, assuring that all members of their dedication and team spirit in the forthcoming area councils poll.
The highpoint of the event was the presentation of symbolic broom to the leaders of the decampees by the FCT Minister of State and the party chairman. Other decampees include Hon Salihu Kolo, former state PDP Deputy Chairman, Hon Usman Jiya, former APGA Aspirant, Hon Habila Bwaba, former PDP state vice chairman, Hon Maimunat S Adamu amongst others.
…As Arapaja Won With 2004 To Defeat Oyinlola With 705
…PDP Is Back To Save Nigeria From APC’s Mess , Ayu
The political machinations and power plays that took place during the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) 2021 elective national convention came to light on Sunday, shortly after the election results were released.
The intrigues that played out at the convention were said to be a preview of what will happen at the party’s 2022 convention, where the presidential candidate for the 2023 election will be chosen.
According to a source who spoke with our correspondent, Olagunsoye Oyinlola was backed by the triumvirate of Atiku Abubakar, Bukola Saraki, and Sule Lamido, who had refused to back down for Taofeek Arapaja despite pressure from PDP governors and other stakeholders.
Arapaja, who was said to have had support from the PDP governors, eventually won the convention with 2004 votes, defeating Oyinlola, who received 705 votes.
According to the source, what happened at the convention’s location, Eagle Square, was a preview of what will happen to the three and others, who will compete for the position with the governors, during the convention to choose the presidential candidate.
It was also learned that the governors used the convention, as well as the events that preceded it, to solidify their positions and lay out their strategy ahead of the 2023 election.
Recall that Atiku defeated Aminu Tambuwal to win the presidential ticket in the 2018 presidential convention, a situation that the governors did not like.
However, while at the conference location on Saturday, rumors circulated that Oyinlola had resigned in favor of Arapaja, until two opposing consensus lists surfaced.
Arapaja was apparently cleared on one of the consensus lists, while Oyinlola was allegedly cleared on the other.
It was only during the election itself that it became obvious that Oyinlola was still running for the position of Deputy National Chairman (South).
During the election, it was also stated that Ina Ciroma was still running for Deputy National Chairman (North), however she was defeated by Ambassador Umar Damagum, who received 2,222 votes to Ciroma’s 365 votes.
Mohammed Kadade Sulieman won the position of National Youth Leader with 3,072 votes versus Usman ElKudan’s 219 votes.
Out of the 21 National Working Committee (NWC) offices, eighteen (18) were uncontested.
Senator Iyorchia Ayu, the former Senate President, was declared winner of the PDP National Chairmanship after 3,426 delegates affirmed his unopposed position at the party’s convention in Abuja. Senator Samuel Anyanwu, from the Southeast, was declared winner of the party’s National Secretaryship.
Ahmed Yayari Mohammed, National Treasurer, and Kamaldeen Adeyemi Ajibade, National Legal Adviser, were both elected in the party’s unopposed election, which received 3,426 votes.
Umar Bature has been named National Organising Secretary, while Daniel Woyegikuro has been named National Financial Secretary, Stella Effah-Attoe has been named National Woman Leader, and Okechukwu Obiechina Daniel has been named National Auditor.
Ndubisi Eneh David is the new Deputy National Secretary, while Ibrahim Abdullahi is the Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Ighoyota Amori is the Deputy National Organizing Secretary, Adamu Kamale is the Deputy National Financial Secretary, Hajaja Yakubu Wanka is the Deputy National Woman Leader, Timothy Osadolor is the Deputy National Youth Leader, and Okechukwu Osuoha is the Deputy National Legal
Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, chairman of the Convention Planning Committee and governor of Adamawa state, who announced the results, praised party faithful for a “successful” National Convention.
In his thank-you speech, Ayu claimed that the PDP is returning to save Nigeria from the awful situation it’s been in for the past six years, and that the convention’s triumph is a quit notice to the ruling APC.
The former President of the Senate, while criticizing the ruling party and others who desired for the PDP to break up at the convention, said they were dreaming in wonderland and that their fantasies were misplaced.
Ayu expressed gratitude to everybody who contributed to the success of the event as delegates, observers, supporters, members of the media, and security personnel, and promised that the PDP would return to bring the people together.
“Those who have lost hope should know that Nigeria is not a divided country. A small group of people decided to divide Nigeria. PDP will come back to unite our people, put them together, North and South, East and West.
“We will move ahead to develop this country. We did it before. We are going to do it again. I want to thank the governors. I want to thank the delegates. I want to thank our supporters and every single person, who has made this event such a huge success.
“I believe the order party can never hold a convention. Because even state Congress they cannot hold. They have produced 92 state chairmen for 36 states, how can they hold a successful convention which the PDP has done? We are waiting for them. This is a challenge to them. Let them come and hold a successful convention which the PDP has done. This is a quit notice. PDP is back and is taking back the country to develop it.”
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has detailed some of the important steps it is taking to guarantee that businesses and individual telecoms consumers in Nigeria benefit from broadband and internet connection.
The Commission also highlighted the importance of the continuing execution of the new Nigerian National Broadband Plan (NNBP) 2020-2025 and its Strategic Vision Plan (SVP) 2021-2025 in driving the development of innovative technologies and local content in the country.
According to Adeleke Adewolu, NCC’s Executive Commissioner, Stakeholders Management (ECSM), who spoke during a breakout session at the Nigerian Bar Association’s 2021 Annual General Conference in Port Harcourt, the NNBP is one of the primary policy instruments that guides the sector’s development.
“The Nigerian National Broadband Plan (NNBP), 2020-2025 has four critical pillars which are: Infrastructure, Policy, Demand Drivers and Funding/Incentives,” he said.
He asserted that the NNBP is unique in many respects, adding that it clearly defines ‘broadband’ for Nigeria as “connectivity delivering a minimum of 10 Mbps in rural areas and a minimum of 25 Mbps in urban areas to every Nigerian at an affordable price and quality.”
He said the Strategic Vision Plan (SVP) 2021-2025 is a template developed by the NCC to streamline regulatory focus for better efficiency, in alignment with relevant policy instruments.
“For the next five years, the Commission is focusing its energies on five strategic pillars.
These are, according to him, “Organizational renewal for operational efficiency and Regulatory excellence; Provision of infrastructure for a digital economy which fosters national development; Improved Quality of Service (QoS) for enhanced Consumer Quality of Experience (QoE); Promotion of fair competition, inclusive growth, increased investment and innovative services; and Strategic Collaboration and Partnership,” he emphasised.
Adewolu declared that “the impact of connectivity on businesses and the economy, in terms of the impact of internet connectivity on businesses and the national economy is well documented.”
He recalled that 10 per cent increase in mobile broadband penetration results in approximately 0.6 per cent to 2.8 per cent rise in Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
He affirmed that everyone is a witness to the revolutionary impact of the internet connectivity for agriculture, health, education, information and communication, as well as entertainment.
“This is besides notable revolution in banking and financial services as we can see in the deployment of Automated Teller machines (ATMs) and banking software.
“All industries now rely on internet connectivity provided by our mobile networks to function, such that it is impossible to imagine life without connectivity.
“In concrete terms, the Nigerian telecommunications industry has continued to lead national economic growth,” he said.
According to him, in recent years, the telecoms sector has consistently driven the growth of the Nigerian economy and has provided critical infrastructure powering the digital transformation of practically all spheres of life.
Adewolu said that in the second quarter of 2021, the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector sustained its growth trajectory and contributed 17.9 per cent to national GDP.
He attributed this to the growth in the telecoms sub-sector. “This trend demonstrates how much our industry is supporting the achievement of Government’s drive to diversify Nigeria’s economy and to ensure inclusive growth across all other sectors,” he said.
According to the ECSM, in practical terms, it is difficult to imagine how Nigeria and indeed the global economy could have fared without the internet during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic.
He insisted that the fact that the conference was holding in hybrid format was just an indication of the benefits that connectivity, which the Commission is driving, brings.
On local content, Adewolu stated that all the major policy instruments emphasised the need for Nigerians to take bigger roles in the ownership and management of major spheres in the sector.
He also added that Mr. President recently launched the National Policy for the Promotion of Indigenous Content in the Nigerian Telecommunications Sector, which articulated very clear policy objectives and strategies for increasing local participation.
“It would interest you that the NCC has established a National Office for the Development of Indigenous Content in the Telecommunications Sector (NODITS) to drive the attainment of Policy objectives,” he said.
Adewolu contended that, taken together, the instruments enable NCC to aggressively drive infrastructure development, ensuring that available, accessible and affordable access to broadband infrastructure and services for all Nigerians are safeguarded.
He expressed hope that, by the end of the NNBP’s life-cycle, the country will achieve the target of reaching an effective coverage of, at least, 90 per cent of the population at a price not more than N390 per 1GB of data.
Dr. Ikechukwu Adiind, Director of Public Affairs at the Nigerian Communications Commission, and Mr. Kayode Adegoke, Head of Corporate Communications at the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), issued a joint statement urging citizens and legal residents to complete the process by the end of 2021.
Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami), Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, has received approval from the Federal Government to extend the deadline for the National Identity Number (NIN)-Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) data verification.
The decision to extend the deadline was made in response to requests from Mobile Network Operators and other industry players for a further extension to guarantee better compliance with the government’s direction and avoid expanding the digital gap, according to the statement.
The statement reads :”The extension would also provide the enabling environment for the registration of Nigerians in remote areas, diaspora, schools, hospitals, worship centres, as well as foreigners, diplomatic missions, those in other areas that were hitherto unreachable, and increase enrolments in countries with a significant number of Nigerians.
“The review of the progress of the exercise indicated that over 66 million unique National Identity Numbers (NIN) have been issued- an indication of progress achieved in the ongoing NIN-SIM linkage.
“However, a significant part of the populace is yet to be registered into the National Identity Database (NIDB), which may be due to some challenges which the Federal Government has looked into and has made efforts to alleviate, hence the need to extend the deadline.
“As of October 30, 2021, there were over 9,500 enrolment systems and over 8,000 NIN enrolment centres within and outside the country- this has significantly eased the NIN enrolment process and subsequent linkage of NIN to SIM.
“The NIN-SIM verification process is supporting the Government’s drive to develop Nigeria’s digital economy, strengthen our ability to protect our cyberspace and support the security agencies.
The statement continues :”The administration of His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, has graciously approved the extension to accommodate the yearnings of the populace and make it easier for its citizens within and outside the country, and legal residents to obtain the NIN and link it with their SIM.
“The Federal Government will ensure that all innocent, law abiding citizens and residents will not lose access to their phone lines as long as they obtain and link their NIN.
“Government will also continue to provide an enabling environment for investors in the telecommunications sector.
“The unique 66 million NIN enrolments, with an average of 3 to 4 SIMs linked to the NIN, is a testament to the commitment and dedication of the Federal Government, through the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), to ensure the success of the project.
“With the creation of additional NIN enrolment centres within and outside the country, and many more coming up, the remaining citizens and legal residents living in the country and the diaspora should be able to obtain their NINs and link them with their SIMs before the end of the year.
“Consequently, the Honourable Minister enjoins Nigerians and legal residents to make use of the opportunity of the extension to enrol for their NINs and link with their SIMs.
“On behalf of the FGN, the Honourable Minister, the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, and the Director-General/CEO of NIMC, Engr. Aliyu A. Aziz, urge citizens and legal residents to take advantage of the window to complete the process of enrolment and verification before the end of the year 2021,” the statement said.
