President Muhammadu Buhari has openly supported the National Identity Number enrollment system being promoted by the embattled communications minister Isa Pantami who under public pressure to quit office for his friends comments on terrorist organisations.

Mr Buhari made his declaration at the launch of the National Policy for the Promotion of Indigenous Content in Nigerian Telecoms Sector and Revised National Identity Policy for SIM Cards registration on Thursday in Abuja.

The said he is “pleased with the success we are recording in the enrollment of persons into the National Identification Number (NIN) database. 54 million Nigerians have now enrolled; I am told over 12 million of these within the last six months. Our goal is total coverage,” in a series of tweets via his official handle, @Mbuhari.

Mr Buhari stated that the programme will aid the government to easily identify its citizens, especially criminal deviants, urging Nigerian citizens and legal residents to obtain the NIN.

He noted that he had ordered Mr Pantami to develop the structure for its implementation and forward this to the Nigerian Communications Commission to implement, saying that “the policy’s execution will further enhance our economy and lead to the creation of jobs.”

Mr Buhari’s comments come after the NIN-SIM link deadline was postponed on Tuesday to June 30, 2021.

The Nigerian Communications Commission and National Identity Management Commission announced yet another deadline extension with intent on making it easier for Nigerians and legal residents to register.

This extension is the latest move since the original December 30, 2020 deadline.