Why does the NCC bar Nigerians under the age of 18 from owning a SIM card?

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has formulated stricter regulations guiding the ownership of Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards in Nigeria, which tentatively set 18 years as the age limit for anyone registering and owning a SIM card in the country.

However, NCC is still asking for telecom stakeholders’ inputs into the proposed regulations.

This is contained in the draft copy of the modified Registra­tion of Telephone Subscribers Regulations published on the commission’s website.

In the modified regulations, the NCC limited telecom subscribers to including anyone over the age of 18.

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“Subscriber means a person not below the age of 18 years who subscribes to communications services by purchasing a subscription medium or entering into a subscription contract with a licensee.”

The licensee refers to ‘a pro­vider of communications ser­vices that utilises a subscription medium in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.’

The regulations were made in line with 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 into 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.

NCC’s Executive Commis­sioner, Stakeholders’ Manage­ment, Mr. Adeleke Adewolu, gave the opening remark at the event.

He said, “The public inquiry is an avenue that enables the commission to develop and re­view its regulatory instruments by incorporating the comments and suggestions of industry stakeholders.”

During the public inquiry, which was held physically and virtually, key stakeholders, including MTN, urged the commission to revise the age limit.

MTN asked the commission to make the age limit 14 years and above. The NCC, however, insisted on 18 years and above for anyone who wants to own and register a SIM in Nigeria.