The Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) has directed all operators to reactivate all lines that were disconnected over the weekend, due to blockages from failure to link these lines to the individual users’ NIN.
According to the commission, the reactivation is temporary, to give consumers time to properly link their NIN to their SIM. Reactivated consumers must ensure their NIN-SIM linkage during this period to maintain uninterrupted access.
Over the weekend, many telecom subscribers were unable to access their phone lines due to the inability to verify their National Identification Numbers (NINs) with their Subscriber Identification Modules (SIMs).
This resulted in telecom service providers blocking their numbers in compliance with NIN-SIM linkage laws and policies.
The compulsory linkage of NIN with SIM began in December 2020, when the government directed telecom companies to bar unregistered SIM cards and those not linked to NIN. The NCC has extended the deadline multiple times, with the most recent deadline set for July 31, 2024, to give consumers more time to ensure their NIN details are properly verified. Despite these extensions, many phone lines remain unlinked to verified NINs.
The Federal Government of Nigeria’s objectives for the NIN-SIM linkage exercise include enhancing national security and ensuring the national SIM ownership database’s accuracy. This policy aids in verifying and protecting users’ identities, providing critical infrastructure that assures citizens access to the benefits of a robust digital economy.
In a statement, NCC’s Director of Public Affairs Reuben Muoka urged members of the public yet to verify their SIMs to do so promptly to maintain access to their lines. The commission emphasised that the consumer is their priority and aims to alleviate the challenges faced due to the blockages while encouraging compliance with the NIN-SIM linkage requirement.
