The Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, has announced that citizens of Nigeria below the age of 18 would not be allowed to own a Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) card.
The commission made this known in a recent publication on its official website.
According to the draft copy of the modified registration of Telephone Subscribers Regulations, the NCC maintained that only subscribers above the age of 18 are entitled to SIMs.
The commission said that the new regulation was 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 on 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.
But telecoms giant, MTN had opposed the new regulation, particularly the age limit, suggesting that the age limit should be 14 and not 18 years as declared by the commission.
The NCC, however, maintained its stance adding that the age limit is pegged at 18.
