Is it true that those who have registered for BVN automatically have NIN? – Punch the newspaper

Sodiq Oyeleke

In an attempt to expire the deadline for the National Identification Number ordered by the federal government, thousands of Nigerians threw themselves into the registration centers of the National Identity Management Commission, ignoring the coronavirus protocols.

PUNCH reports that on December 15, 2020, the Federal Government announced that after December 30, 2020, all SIMs that are not registered with valid NINs on the network of telecommunications companies will be blocked.

But on Monday, December 21, 2020, the deadline was extended to December 30, 2020, after broad opposition to the earlier announcement.

The government has extended three weeks of extensions for subscribers with NIN from December 30, 2020 to January 19, 2021.

It also gave a six-week extension for subscribers without NIN from December 30, 2020 to February 9, 2021.

According to NIMC, the total number of mobile network connections in October was 207.58 million, but currently only 43 million Nigerians have NIN, so 164 million phone users are at risk of being disabled on December 31.

Amid the rush to register, a viral message circulating on social media claims that those who have registered for a bank verification number already have NIN. Therefore, they do not need to register for NIN.

“Good news: NIN have so many Nigerians and are not aware of it. It is true that everyone who worked on their BVN when it was introduced in 2014 was automatically assigned to NIN.

“Just call * 346 # the same number you registered for BVN and get your NIN. Don’t go to the NIMC centers in line, Covid19 is real “, it is stated in the message.

However, the efforts of our correspondent to get NIN following the procedure contained in the message broadcast on social networks failed.

When trying with GLO, MTN and Airtel lines without prior NIMC registration, a message was requested saying: “Your data does not exist”.

Also, when contacted, NIMC spokesman Kayode Adegoke explained that NIMC must first collect people’s data before NIN assigns them.

Reacting to the message about the viral broadcast, Adegoke said: “The information is incorrect. We linked your data to BVN. People need to come to our office to register. If you have not registered with NIMC, go to our centers and register.

“We really harmonized our data with some BVN data. But this is an incomplete procedure until you register with NIMC. if you do not register with NIMC, efforts to generate your NIN will show a record that was not found.

“In order for people not to have cut lines, they should ignore the message and register appropriately.”

VERDICT: It is FALSE that all those who have registered for BVN are automatically assigned NIN.