Challenges in NIN Verification Persist

Emma Okonjj

The difficulty currently being faced by telecoms subscribers in verifying their National Identification Number (NIN) still lingers several days after attempts were made to resolve the issue.

Since last week telecoms subscribers could not carry out the process of NIN verification as a result of the issue.

Although the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) had since confirmed the challenge and has asked subscribers to use the alternative process called Tokenisation to verify their NIN, THISDAY gathered that it was from a link connecting NIMC and Galaxy Backbone, the government agency hosing the data servsers of most government agencies and also providing them with data services.

The issue which is not only affecting the NIN verification process, was also affecting network connectivity and data hosting services across the country.

Worried about the situation, the Chairman, Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria, Mr. Gbenga Adebayo, yesterday, told THISDAY that telecoms operators and the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), were working hard to address the issue.

“Telecoms operators are aware of the issue but we are working hard with NIMC to resolve the issue. We are currently having meetings and technical sessions with NIMC and I believe the issue will be resolved soon,” Adebayo said.

NIMC had last week, in a statement, blamed the situation on ongoing maintenance service being carried out by one of its service providers.

According to the statement, “The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) wishes to inform the general public that its NIN Verification Service (NVS) is temporarily unavailable due to the maintenance service being carried out by one of the Commission’s network service providers. NIMC assures the public that the verification authentication services would be restored once the maintenance is concluded. The Commission apologises for any inconvenience this might cause our esteemed customers as all hands are on deck to ensure a speedy restoration. The public can make use of the alterative Tokenisation verification platform.”