The Nigerian Communications Commission has banned anyone under 18 years of age from registering for and owning a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) in Nigeria.
This information was gathered from the draft copy of the modified Registration of Telephone Subscribers Regulations which was published on the commission's website.
The regulations were made according to the powers conferred upon the commission by section 70 of the Nigerian Communications Act,2003.
In accordance with Section 57 of the Act, the NCC conducted a Public Inquiry on the Registration of Telephone Subscribers Regulations, alongside the draft SIM Replacement Guidelines and the draft Spectrum Trading Guidelines at its head office in Abuja on Tuesday.
The Executive Commissioner Stakeholders' Management of the Commission, Mr. Adeleke Adewolu who gave the opening remark at the event said, “the public inquiry is an avenue that enables the commission develop and review its regulatory instruments by incorporating the comments and suggestions of industry stakeholders.”
Key stakeholders has urged the commission to revise the age limit. During the public inquiry which was held both physically and virtually, MTN, a key stakeholder asked the commission to make the age limit 14 years and above, to which the commission insisted that the age 18 and above was the age limit for anyone wanting to own and register a SIM in Nigeria.