The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has directed telecommunications operators to immediately restore all phone lines blocked due to the non-linkage of National Identification Numbers (NIN) to SIM cards. This directive was disclosed in a statement on Monday by the Director of Media and Public Affairs, Reuben Muoka.
Aggrieved subscribers have swarmed MTN offices nationwide, expressing frustration over the telecom company's blocking of phone numbers. MTN barred several users' lines on Sunday for allegedly failing to link their National Identification Numbers (NIN) with their mobile numbers.
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Aggrieved Subscribers Besiege MTN Offices Over NIN-SIM Blocking
The action follows a directive from the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) to disconnect Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) numbers not linked to NINs, effective July 31, 2024. As of now, MTN has not issued an official statement, and the number of affected lines remains unclear.
Early on Monday, July 29, 2024, long queues of subscribers were seen at MTN offices, many of whom claim their lines were blocked despite successfully linking their SIMs with their NINs. The deadline for this linkage was extended from April 15, 2024, to July 31, 2024. Previously, on February 29, the NCC stated that 45 million subscribers risked disconnection for not completing the NIN-SIM linkage process.
