Nigeria gives extra month to connect ID with SIMs, after onl Sign in with LinkedIn 5h | Alan Burkitt-Gray Nigeria is running behind schedule on its aim to link its national identity scheme with citizen’s phone accounts, so is giving people another 30 days. A total of 51 million people out of Nigeria’s 201 million population have so far signed up to link their SIM phone cards with their national identity numbers, said the government. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami (pictured, chairing the meeting), minister of communications and the digital economy, said: “Based on the requirement by law, every citizen and legal resident must obtain his/her national identification number (NIN) which is being coordinated by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC). It’s a requirement by law.”