Nigerians under the age of 18 are not allowed to register or acquire a Subscriber Identity Module, according to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) (SIM).
This was revealed in a draft copy of the Commission’s updated Registration of Telephone Subscribers Regulations, which was made public on the commission’s website.
The NCC updated the regulations to limit telecoms subscribers to those over the age of 18.
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“A person not under the age of 18 who subscribes to communications services by acquiring a subscription medium or entering into a subscription contract with a licensee is referred to as a subscriber,” it said.
The Licensee is defined as “a provider of communications services in the Federal Republic of Nigeria that uses a subscription medium.”
The regulations were enacted in accordance with the commission’s powers under section 70 of the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003.
On Tuesday, the NCC held a Public Inquiry on the Registration of Telephone Subscribers Regulations, as well as draft SIM Replacement Guidelines and draft Spectrum Trading Guidelines, at its Abuja headquarters, in accordance with Section 57 of the Act.
Mr Adeleke Adewolu, NCC’s Executive Commissioner Stakeholders’ Management, made the event’s opening remarks.
“The public inquiry is a route through which the commission can develop and revise its regulatory instruments by taking into account the comments and ideas of industry stakeholders,” he explained.
MTN requested that the commission raise the age limit to 14 years and upwards.
The NCC, on the other hand, stipulated that anyone wanting to own and register a SIM in Nigeria must be at least 18 years old.