The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has warned Nigerians not to download an app that claims to link the National Identity Number (NIN) to SIM card records.

The NIN is issued upon enrolment into the National Identity Database and is used to capture an individual’s records.

There has been a surge in the number of Nigerians registering for their NIN since the government announced in December 2020 that any mobile phone subscriber without a NIN will have their SIM cards blocked by February 9, 2021.

NIMC warned Nigerians in a short statement on Monday, January 11 about an app on Play Store that links the NIN with their SIM card records.

The agency said the app, named NIN Linker – Link SIM to NIN Nigeria, was not created by the Federal Government.

The agency alleged that it was created by fraudsters who are currently harvesting people’s NINs and BVNs.

“Protect your data and stop disclosing personal information to unauthorised persons or platforms,” NIMC said.
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The NIN Linker app claims to help provide ease of registration and linking of the NIN with SIM card records.

The app description contains a disclaimer noting that it is not an official platform of the NIMC or telecoms companies.

The app also claims not to collect personal information of its users.