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Again FG Extends NIN Deadline As Enrollment Reaches 54 Million

The Federal Government has extended the deadline for the registration, linking, and verification of the National Identification Numbers (NINs) to Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards in the country. This was announced by the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy on Tuesday, May 4, 2021, after a meeting chaired by its minister, Dr. Isa Pantami. He explained that the need to extend the deadline further was as a result of the pleas from several stakeholders, urging the ministry to give ample time for more Nigerians to be able to link the SIM cards with their NIN. It, therefore, has extended the deadline by eight weeks which will elapse by June 30, 2021.

The original date set for the blocking of all SIM cards which have not been linked to their NIN was set for Thursday, May 6, 2021; that has now been moved further by eight weeks, The joint statement signed and released by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) read:

“The postponement of the deadline was also based on the request by stakeholders for an extension till 30th of June in order to make it easier for all citizens and legal residents to register.

“Significant progress has been made in the NIN-SIM verification process. For example, almost 54 Million people have obtained their NIN and this can translate to up to 190 Million mobile numbers, since empirical evidence suggests that each unique NIN maps to 3 to 4 phone lines. The much awaited Android enrolment system is now ready for deployment and this has the potential to significantly accelerate the speed and ease of enrolments.

“Furthermore, the telecom providers and other enrolment agents have also opened several centres across the country to make it easier for eligible citizens and residents to obtain and link their NINs.

“The Federal Government has approved the extension as part of its effort to make it easier for its citizens and residents to obtain the NIN and it is important to take advantage of the extension. Dr Pantami wishes to thank Nigerians for their patience and compliance with the Federal Government’s directive on the NIN-SIM registration exercise. He again reiterated government’s commitment to continually taking decisions aimed at easing the pains of the citizens with regard to issues related to NIN and SIM registration.”

See Also: Find Out How to Link Your NIN With Your SIM Card Across All Networks

Since the exercise started on December 16, 2020, the FG has shifted the deadline for the NIN-SIM linkage four times. The initial deadline at the start of the process was December 30, 2020, which saw Nigerians besiege several NIN registration centers and network provider offices in a bid to register their NINs and get the SIM cards linked respectively. The deadline was then extended for six weeks – from December 30, 2020, to February 9, 2021 – and then by another eight weeks – from February 9, 2021, to April 6, 2021 – and then by four weeks – from April 6, 2021, to May 6, 2021.

The latest extension will be the fourth time asking and Nigerians are beginning to wonder if there is an end in sight to all of these extensions.

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Entertainment

Reconciliation with ex-husband Churchill helped women restore broken relationships-Tonto Dikeh

Actress Tonto Dikeh has revealed how her reconciliation with her ex-husband, Olakunle Churchill, inspired her to help at least 10 women restore broken relationships with the fathers of their children. Dikeh shared this while urging single mothers to let go of hurt and embrace forgiveness for their own peace and healing.

According to the actress, her reconciliation with Churchill prompted several women in similar situations to reach out to her for guidance on how she overcame the pain of their decade-long dispute.

Ever since my reconciliation with my ex-husband, hundreds of women have reached out asking the same question: How did you learn to forgive?

While I couldn’t reply to everyone, I reached out to those whose pain mirrored my own. Today, to the glory of God, at least 10 women have been reconciled, restoring peace, healing hearts, and stepping into healthy co-parenting. God has truly turned my personal story into a tool for restoration.

If you are carrying bitterness today, please hear this: Forgiveness is never for the person who hurt you; it is for you. It is the key to moving your life forward. God will not inflict pain on others just because we are hurting,” she explained

Dikeh added that women who struggle with broken relationships should trust God rather than remain trapped in bitterness.

“True closure doesn’t come from people; it comes from God. He promises to restore the years that the cankerworm has eaten. Not just days or weeks, but years. Every tear you’ve shed and every year spent in pain will be turned into a powerful testimony.”

Dikeh’s message comes months after she announced the end of her long-running feud with Churchill, the father of her son, King Andre.

The former couple got married in 2015, but their marriage collapsed less than two years later. Their separation became a highly publicised dispute, with both parties involved in several accusations and public exchanges. Their disagreements also extended to issues around their son, with custody and co-parenting becoming part of the conflict. After years of hostility, Dikeh announced in January 2026 that she and Churchill had reconciled.

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Health

Nigerian Doctors raise alarm as insulin price jumps from ₦5,000 to ₦25,000

Doctors have raised the alarm over a sharp rise in the cost of insulin, warning that the medication, essential for survival for people living with Type 1 diabetes, has become increasingly out of reach for many young Nigerians.

The concern was raised on Wednesday during the sixth Annual Ogun State Youth Diabetes Camp, organised by the Talabi Diabetes Centre in Abeokuta. Speaking at the event, the centre’s Camp Coordinator, Dr Olubiyi Adeshina, said a vial of insulin that used to cost about ₦5,000 now sells for approximately ₦25,000, a fivefold increase that has placed a heavy financial burden on patients and their families.

According to Adeshina, many patients require about two vials a month, bringing the total monthly cost of insulin alone to roughly ₦50,000, not including additional expenses such as blood glucose monitoring.

For people living with Type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune condition where the pancreas stops producing insulin entirely, the medication isn’t optional. “All the days of their lives, at least three times a day, they will need to inject that insulin, or else the blood sugar goes excessively high,” he said, warning that prolonged failure to access insulin can lead to dangerously high blood sugar, coma, and death.

The centre’s Acting Director, Dr Ayotunde Ale, echoed the concern, describing the price increase as a growing crisis compounded by inflation. “Insulin is very, very expensive. Now, with inflation and everything ongoing in society, a packet, a month’s supply, now costs about ₦25,000 against ₦5,000 that we used to purchase insulin,” she said.

Beyond the cost burden, Ale also addressed a separate, deeply rooted challenge facing families of children with undiagnosed diabetes: cultural misconceptions that often prevent early testing.

She urged parents not to attribute unexplained childhood deaths to spiritual causes without first seeking medical screening. “All those children we call ogbanje, they die in their youth, and you don’t know the cause. Don’t call them ogbanje. Please, come for testing. Let’s do screening for all these children,” she said.

Both doctors called on the Federal Government to introduce a dedicated policy and subsidy framework to make insulin more accessible for people living with Type 1 diabetes, particularly children and young adults.

Ale further appealed to the National Assembly to address the broader challenges facing patients, warning that treatment costs could significantly affect their quality of life if left unaddressed.

The Talabi Diabetes Centre currently stands as the only non-profit organisation in Nigeria dedicated specifically to primary diabetic care, and both doctors called for more NGOs and stakeholders to get involved in supporting people living with the condition

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Celebs

Erica opens up on mental struggles she faced after Big Brother Naija

Former Big Brother Naija housemate, Erica Nlewedim, has opened up on the mental struggles she faced after her time on the reality show. The actress and reality star revealed that she battled serious anxiety after leaving the show, as she struggled with constant insults and criticism from fans and social media users. Erica made the revelation while reflecting on her experience after her time on Big Brother Naija and the impact of staying in the public eye.

Speaking about the impact of her time on the reality show, she said she was grateful for the opportunities it created but admitted that the constant trolling took a toll on her mental health.

“I am happy I did it (BBN) because it changed my life, money-wise and all of that. I had to see a therapist afterwards. At first, I didn’t know it was getting to me until after like three years of back-to-back insults.

If I open Instagram and see notifications, I will be like, “Are they dragging me for something again?” I was always anxious, and I didn’t like that.

2024 was my quiet time. I didn’t act on any movie; I just decided to take a break in 2024. It was just last year that I decided to start coming back.

They are like, “Oh, you signed up for this, or you should be used to it by now. One shouldn’t be used to insults or trolling because they are celebrities.”

According to her, some movie producers dismissed her acting ability because of her background as a Big Brother Naija star. She said some producers cast her in lead roles mainly to attract her fans, rather than because they believed in her talent.

“Before I went for Big Brother in 2019, I went to film school in London and I came back thinking I was going to take over, and then Covid happened. So, I had to go for Big Brother.

I was already acting before Big Brother, but most of the characters I played were not lead roles. But after Big Brother, they would put me as the lead and be like It’s only because they want my fans to buy the tickets that they put me in a lead role. It was just all about, you can’t do this. That’s all I kept hearing, and then some producers would be like they put us because they need our fans to come and watch the movie and they would say it to my face. At some point, it just broke me, and that’s why I took a break in 2024. The hardest time was 2023.”

Erica was one of the housemates on the 2020 Lockdown edition of Big Brother Naija. Her time on the show attracted significant attention, particularly because of her relationship with fellow housemate Kiddwaya and her clashes with Laycon.

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