Telecommunication operators in Nigeria, including MTN, Globacom, Airtel, and 9mobile, have started barring subscribers’ lines for failing to link their National Identification Number (NIN) to their Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards.
This action follows the disconnection timelines set by the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC).
Subscribers who had not submitted their NINs for verification by February 28, 2024, were initially barred, followed by those with five or more SIM cards whose NINs failed verification by March 29, 2024.
Despite several extensions, the final deadline of July 31, 2024, was set for all subscribers to ensure compliance.
Dr. Aminu Maida, the executive vice chairman of the NCC, emphasised the necessity of the NIN-SIM linkage to prevent criminals from exploiting unlinked SIM cards.
He reassured that the current actions are not connected to the planned national protests and stressed that the barring of non-compliant lines has been ongoing long before any protest announcements.
The NCC advised subscribers to complete their NIN-SIM verification to avoid being barred and to take advantage of the extensive awareness campaigns organized by the NCC and mobile network operators.
