After days of downtime due to a technical glitch on the portal of the National Identity Management Commission, telecommunications companies have resumed National Identification Number-Subscriber Identity Module data verification services across the country as the configuration to the virtual NIN continues.
The PUNCH had on Thursday reported that after a protracted faceoff with NIMC over the directive to migrate to the vNIN platform following a technical glitch on the primary NIN platform, telcos on Wednesday begun preparations and arrangements to reconfigure their systems in line with the earlier directive by the identity commission.
According to a source at an MTN outlet in Lagos, telcos have resumed SIM-related services. The source confirmed that SIM-NIN related services have resumed in most retail outlets across the country although a few outlets were yet to fully configure their systems to make use of the vNIN platform.
The source said, “Most of our offices are working. Some of our offices in Lagos is working as well as many others here in Lagos. They’re working everywhere. To the best of my knowledge, I’m on a platform where some states are working in the North and in the South.”
MTN had on Wednesday announced to its customers that they would now be required to provide their vNIN or the improved NIN slip for all SIM-related services.
The company had said, “vNIN is a tokenised version of a person’s actual NIN, it is a 16-digit alphanumeric (ABCXYZ1249872DK…) NIN that customers will be required to generate either via NIMC mobile app, via the improved NIN slip with QR code for scanning using the NIMC mobile app or USSD channel for any SIM related services.”
Meanwhile, Galaxy Backbone, a government establishment saddled with powering Nigeria’s digital economy, is responsible for providing tech support for NIMC as well as other MDAs.
The company had earlier in the week said, “Galaxy Backbone is currently experiencing some technical challenges with its Hosting Service Platform which has affected services being hosted for some of our customers.”
However, a source in the company told our correspondent today that the problem has been solved. The source said, “It has been resolved. The glitch, it has been resolved.”
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