Telecommunications operators in Nigeria have blocked millions of lines from making and receiving calls as they push to complete the mandatory linkage of subscribers’ National Identification Numbers with active SIM cards.
This move is in response to the July 31, 2024, deadline set by the Nigerian Communications Commission for barring subscribers whose NINs have not been verified.
Despite the extension of the initial April 15, 2024, deadline, the latest actions by major operators such as MTN, Airtel, Globacom, and 9mobile indicate that many subscribers still face irregularities with their NIN-SIM linkage.
An anonymous official from one of the mobile network operators revealed that numerous subscribers had ignored messages about the need to correct discrepancies in their NIN and SIM data.
Common issues include mismatches in names, photos, or dates of birth between the NIN and SIM registration databases.
Subscribers whose lines have been barred can reactivate their service by updating their records with their service provider.
In December 2023, the NCC directed all telecommunications operators to bar all SIMs not linked with a NIN by February 28, 2024.
This deadline was later shifted to July 31, 2024. Additionally, a guideline was issued limiting each customer to a maximum of four active SIMs, with any excess being barred by March 29, 2024.
This directive is part of the Federal Government’s ongoing NIN-SIM harmonization exercise to ensure all subscribers provide valid NIN information for their SIM registrations.
MTN, the largest mobile network operator in Nigeria, reported in March that it had disconnected 4.2 million lines by February 28, 2024, due to non-submission of NINs. The company noted that it had subjected a total of 19 million lines to verification since December 2023, with 4.3 million lines verified and 4.2 million disconnected.
As of January, the number of active subscriptions across the four major mobile networks had declined by over 6 million to 218 million, due to the barring of SIMs not linked with NIN.
This enforcement highlights the importance of subscribers ensuring their NIN-SIM data is accurate and up-to-date to avoid service disruptions.
