NCC Refuses Under 18 Years From Owning SIM Cards

NCC insists no one below 18 years can own SIM cards.

The telecom industry regulator, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), has disqualified Nigerians who are not up to 18 years of age from getting a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card.

In the past few years, the industry regulator has been emphasising the 18 years and above age for those qualified to buy or own SIM cards.

According to NCC, the implementation of this policy is aimed to “protect minors” from the liabilities that arise from the usage of such SIMs.

The Commission, according to reports, stressed that parents and guardians can acquire SIMs in their names on behalf of their children and wards and assume any responsibilities or liabilities that may arise from the use of such SIMs in order to protect minors and strengthen national security.

NCC has been tweaking its telecommunications policies to combat security threats in Nigeria.

While the constitutional puts 18 years as the age of consent in Nigeria, NCC believes SIM acquisition is a contract between service providers and their subscribers, which requires the subscriber to have proper legal status, be of mature mind and be rational enough to bear certain responsibilities, obligations and liabilities imposed by a contract.

In 2021, the NCC proposed a Registration of Telephone Subscribers Regulations where it suggested banning minors in Nigeria from acquiring a SIM card. That regulation is now in effect, officials said.

With this order in place, the policy will place a significant responsibility on parents to monitor the mobile activities of their minors.

Prior to the latest development, telecoms giant, MTN has been urging the Commission to set the age limit to 14 years. But NCC declined the request and maintained that the age limit will remain 18 years.