On Monday morning, large crowds gathered at MTN Nigeria offices nationwide following a sudden disconnection of phone lines, sparking widespread discontent among subscribers.
News About Nigeria gathers that the unexpected service disruption left many unable to make or receive calls, prompting a surge of complaints on social media.
Subscribers of MTN Nigeria expressed frustration over the telecom provider’s abrupt decision to bar phone lines due to non-compliance with the National Identification Number (NIN) linkage mandate, which many claim was enforced without prior warning.
The disconnections also affected subscribers of 9mobile, as the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) enforced a nationwide policy requiring all phone lines to be linked with NINs.
The policy, initially set to take effect on April 15, 2024, was extended to July 31, 2024.
However, the recent enforcement caught many off guard, leading to confusion and anger among those who believed they had already complied with the requirements.
Some subscribers speculate that the disruption could be a technical issue, hoping for a swift resolution.
Judy A, a subscriber, commented on X, “I believe this is a temporary issue that will be fixed soon.”
Others, however, are considering switching to alternative network providers due to the inconvenience.
The NCC had previously directed all telecommunications operators to bar SIMs not linked to a NIN by February 28, 2024, with an extended deadline for verification set for July 31, 2024.
Additionally, a guideline limiting customers to four active SIMs per individual required excess SIMs to be barred by March 29, 2024.
This enforcement is part of the Federal Government’s ongoing NIN-SIM harmonisation exercise, aimed at updating SIM registration records to include valid NIN information for all subscribers.
