 has confirmed that all Nigerian telecom operators are now fully integrated){kind=link}
The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has officially confirmed the full integration of all telecommunications operators in Nigeria into its upgraded National Identification Number (NIN) verification platform, known as NINAuth. This development marks a major milestone in Nigeria’s ongoing efforts to bolster data protection, digital identity security, and telecom service efficiency.
In a statement released on Wednesday, July 30, 2025, the Commission stated that the newly enhanced NINAuth platform is now operational across all telecom service providers in the country — including MTN, Airtel, Globacom, and 9mobile — after a prolonged migration and upgrade process that previously disrupted SIM-related services nationwide.
Speaking on the new development, the Director of IT/IDD at NIMC, Mr. Lanre Yusuf, disclosed that the successful onboarding of telcos represents a significant leap forward in Nigeria’s digital ecosystem. According to him, “This milestone reflects our commitment to securing digital identity and empowering Nigerians with greater control over their personal data.”
The NINAuth platform, designed and developed in-house by NIMC, delivers more secure, seamless, and user-friendly access to identity verification services. The system enhances user authentication protocols, meets global privacy standards, and simplifies access to telecom services such as SIM registration, swap, replacement, and number porting.
Dr. Kayode Adegoke, Head of Corporate Communications at NIMC, emphasized that the platform grants NIN holders more autonomy over their data usage. “The goal is to place control of identity data in the hands of the rightful owners — the Nigerian people,” he explained.
The Commission also advised Nigerians experiencing challenges with SIM registration, migration, retrievals, or replacements (popularly known as “welcome back”) to directly contact their respective telecom service providers. The migration is expected to address the inefficiencies of the older system, which had become unreliable during the early stages of the transition.
The system upgrade, which began in late June 2025, caused significant disruptions in telecom operations. For over three weeks, telcos were unable to provide SIM-related services, prompting concerns from subscribers and critical industries such as fintech and digital banking that depend on phone number authentication for transactions.
During the disruption, the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) urged customers to delay all SIM-related activities while efforts were underway to resolve integration issues. While NIMC maintained that the NINAuth platform was functional, it placed the onus on telecom firms to finalize the integration process on their end.
Now with full integration achieved, the Commission assures that identity verification, authentication, and related telecom services have returned to normalcy. NIMC reiterated its pledge to deliver secure and scalable digital identity infrastructure capable of supporting Nigeria’s rapidly evolving digital economy.
This upgrade is expected to significantly enhance digital trust and efficiency across key sectors, including finance, healthcare, and e-governance. It is also seen as a foundational step in the country’s broader digital transformation strategy, aiming to align with global best practices in digital identity management.