Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) has said its members are working with authorities of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to resolve the challenge of verification the NIN-SIM exercise is currently plagued with.
NIMC had informed on Sunday that due to maintenance service being carried out by one of the commission’s network service providers, its National Identification Number (NIN) Verification Service (NVS) would be temporarily unavailable.
“There is still verification going on. The one that is challenged is online real time and that is being resolved. Work has not stopped at NIMC. Also, I can say the telecoms operators are equally working. So, it is not a thing of concern. People should relax.”
The Guardian gathered that the NIMC’s service provider carrying out the maintenance, which has brought NIN verification to a halt, is a sister agency, Galaxy Backbone.
It was also gathered that some other Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs) connected to Galaxy Backbone are having similar issues.
Galaxy Backbone is an ICT services provider of network management, communications and digital infrastructure services to organisations in the public and private sector.
MEANWHILE, subscribers, seeking to retrieve their lost Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards or acquire new lines temporarily can make use of an alternative platform: Tokenisation.
NIMC spokesperson, Kayode Adegoke, said though the NIN verification service might be down due to maintenance, the alternative platform, Tokenisation, is up and running. He stressed that no one should be barred on the guise of NIN not being verified.
He said: “There is the need to ask questions from the telcos, NIS, banks, and others on the reason for turning down customers on the guise of NIN not being verified due to the temporary unavailability of the NVS, while the alternative platform- Tokenisation is working.
“NIMC NVS platform is not the only verification platform available for use. But Tokenisation, which protects the identity of NIN holders is also up and running!
“And for accurate information, it is not a NIMC problem. Rather, a government service provider has embarked on maintenance of its infrastructure, which has affected most government agencies that rely on it for provision of IT service. But for us at NIMC, Tokenisation is available for verification of NIN before rendering services.”
Source: Guradian.ng