The deadline for linking Subscriber Identity Module cards to National Identity Numbers on February 28, 2024, has not been extended, according to the Nigerian Communications Commission.
Consequently, after the deadline has passed, telecom providers are required to disable 12 million lines that are not connected to the owners’ NINs.
The Director of Public Affairs, NCC, Reuben Mouka, confirmed the development.Mouka reiterated the NCC’s position, saying, “We have already released a public notice regarding this matter along with all the details.
NCC would have informed everyone if there had been an extension. But there is not an extension that I am aware of.The NCC had instructed telcos to block SIMs that had not been connected to the NINs of their owners by February 28, 2024, in a notice dated December 20, 2023.
Additionally, it requested that by March 29, 2024, Global Satellite Mobile Communications companies bar individuals whose NINs have been submitted but not verified, and by April 15, 2024, interdict those with fewer than five lines connected to an unverified NIN.It was received confirmation from Gbenga Adebayo, Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria, that telecom providers would abide by the NCC’s order.
He said that roughly 12 million of the 224 million active lines were at risk of being deactivated.It is possible that 12 million SIM cards are unconnected to NIN, according to Adebayo. Certain SIM cards are compatible with modems and wi-fi devices.
The regulatory directives state that services will be cut off to numbers that are not correctly linked to NIN by midnight today. We will abide by that regulatory directive and stand by it.
The chairman of ALTON also denied rumors of a potential postponement, saying the deadline should have been reached last year.”No, the regulator has made it apparent that there will not be any further extensions,” he exclaimed. Recall that although the regulator extended it until February 28, 2024, this should have happened last year.
The number of people obtaining their NINs has rapidly increased since the NCC’s initial order on December 15, 2020, to suspend SIM cards without NIN.Between the time the order was issued and January 19, 2021, the second deadline, Nigerian mobile operators received 47.8 million new submissions from active users.
About 21 million subscribers had not yet received their NIN in 2021, despite the fact that the registration deadline was drawing near.Senior MTN Nigeria representative, who was not authorized to publicly comment on the matter, informed it that the company planned to disconnect the defaulting subscribers in compliance with the order.
The official states that the NCC has not issued any counter-directives.The representative noted that some lines had previously been disconnected and underlined that it is a federal matter.”
Keep in mind that there is no problem with the telcos.” It is a problem with the federal government, and some lines were being disconnected prior to this. As I speak with you, they are not extending the deadline; if they had, they would have sent out another notice,” the official said.
Sam Adeoye, a public relations representative for Airtel Nigeria, responded to the circumstances by mentioning that Airtel would issue a formal statement regarding the development.
Thank you for your sharing. I am worried that I lack creative ideas. It is your article that makes me full of hope. Thank you. But, I have a question, can you help me?
Your article helped me a lot, is there any more related content? Thanks!