As of February 28, millions of Nigerians face the possibility of losing access to telecommunications services unless they promptly link their SIM cards to their biometric National Identification Numbers (NINs).
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has mandated telecom companies to block all SIM cards not associated with a NIN by the specified date.
MTN Nigeria, one of the leading telecommunications operators in the country, has officially confirmed this directive in a notice to its customers and partners.
The company states that it is adhering to an “industry-wide directive” and will take measures to block any SIM cards that remain unlinked to NINs after the deadline.
Additionally, MTN Nigeria will enforce further restrictions on phone lines linked to NINs that have not undergone verification by either March 29 or April 15, depending on the number of SIM cards linked to each NIN.
To mitigate potential disruptions, MTN Nigeria urges its subscribers to promptly submit their NINs for verification. The company claims to have enhanced its teams and infrastructure to facilitate a smoother process for its customers.
The implementation of this directive could impact approximately 12 million mobile users, based on figures from the NCC as of September. The Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) will play a role in enforcing this directive.
It’s noteworthy that the government had previously banned over 70 million SIM cards not linked to the owner’s digital ID since April of the preceding year.
However, until now, these SIM cards could still receive calls and data. After February 28, they will face complete disconnection from all telecommunication services.
The government asserts that linking SIM cards to NINs is a crucial step to enhance national security and curb criminal activities. This move aligns with the increasing use of digital ID in Nigeria in recent years.
