By February 28, 2024 it will become mandatory for telcos to supervise that their customers’ SIM cards are connected to a National Identity Number (NIN). The directive from The Nigerian Communications Commission could cause a downturn in telco subscribers that do not bother to comply with the new rules on digital ID linked SIMs by the deadline.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India is also mandating that telcos implement biometric identification protocols before they enrol new customers and activate new SIM cards.
The latest version of the Telecommunications Bill, in India, prioritises digital identity integration within the telco market, however, omits similar instructions for OTT services, including online messaging services like Skype and WhatsApp and streaming platforms after backlash. Telcos will be obliged to make the data of their customers available to central government which includes their biometric verification information.
The backlash from industry stakeholders and internet services generated more accountability for telcos as the top tier of the supply chain.
In Nigeria, the federal government began directing telcos to link SIMs and National Identity Numbers in 2020, subsequently ordering outgoing phone calls to be blocked on unconnected accounts in April 2022. Millions of accounts could be eventually cut off by the time the February deadline comes around this year and it is estimated that around 70,000 customers have already been banned.
