Under the category of Registrable Persons, a National Identification Number (NIN) is required for SIM registration and for requesting Mobile Number Portability (MNP). However, foreigners who are transiting through Nigeria or those who are employed in or residing in Nigeria for less than 24 months are exempted from the mandatory NIN requirement.
Persons in this category must provide evidence that they will be residing in Nigeria for less than two years. The NIN is mandatory for foreigners with legal residency status or those residing in Nigeria for two years or more. For those without a NIN, Communications Service Providers shall capture the resident’s details for NIN issuance during the enrolment process, upon presentation of their resident permits. Foreigners with Visitor’s visas, valid for less than two years, do not require a NIN.
Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) will capture the biodata page of the International passport and the Visa page. Foreigners with Diplomatic visas, including family diplomatic visas, who are staying in Nigeria for two years or more, will also require a NIN for their personal telephone lines. Those staying for less than two years will need to provide their International passport biodata page and a letter from their embassy indicating that their stay is for less than two years.
For Embassies and Diplomatic Missions, the required documentation includes the data page containing the passport number of the diplomatic passport of the Head of Mission or Embassy, along with a Letter of Request signed by the Ambassador or its equivalent. This documentation is necessary for the registration of the official telephone lines of the Embassy or Mission in Nigeria and must be submitted to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for verification, confirmation, and registration of the SIMs. These SIMs, including the subscription medium of the diplomatic missions, must be linked to a Corporate Diplomatic Identification Number, which will be unique to each diplomatic mission.
Each mission is responsible for managing the lines and allocating them internally. Furthermore, the Head of Mission is to serve as the Telecom Master or point of contact for the mission.
The rules also outline a self-service option. The self-service option for resolving biometric mismatches can only be conducted by the Communications Service Provider itself and is not available for use by an agent or third party.
All self-service activities must adhere to the specifications and requirements set out in the Business Rules. Agents, third parties, and other entities are not permitted to use the self-service option for any service, mismatch resolution, or data update. These activities must be conducted in a controlled environment.
A controlled environment, for the purposes of these Business Rules, must be properly lit and illuminated. Images should be captured against a white or plain background. The environment must have the logo of the Communications Service Provider, be operated by a duly licensed and approved agent, and the agent must have a valid means of identification and a verified NIN. The registration center must be a permanent structure, and the premises must be clearly marked as a “SIM Card Registration” center.