The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has issued an urgent directive to telecommunications operators to restore phone lines that were recently blocked due to the non-linkage of National Identification Numbers (NIN) to SIM cards.
This decision was announced on Monday by Reuben Muoka, the Director of Media and Public Affairs, in response to the disruption caused by these blockages.
“The consumer is our priority; therefore, considering the challenges the blockages have caused, the Commission has directed all operators to reactivate all lines that were disconnected over the weekend, in view of the short time available for consumers to undertake the verification of their NINs with their SIMs,” the NCC’s statement said.
This directive follows a surge of complaints from subscribers, particularly those of MTN Nigeria, who found themselves unable to make or receive calls after the unexpected disconnection of their phone lines.
The disconnections, which also impacted subscribers of 9mobile, were part of a nationwide policy enforcement requiring all phone lines to be linked with NINs.
The policy, which was initially set to be enforced on April 15, 2024, had its deadline extended to July 31, 2024.
However, the recent enforcement caught many off guard, causing confusion and frustration among those who believed they had complied with the NIN-SIM linkage requirements.
Some affected subscribers speculated that the disruptions might be due to technical issues and hoped for a swift resolution.
“I believe this is a temporary issue that will be fixed soon,” commented a subscriber named Judy A on social media platform X.
Others are considering switching to different network providers due to the inconvenience.
The NCC had previously mandated that all telecommunications operators disconnect SIMs not linked to a NIN by February 28, 2024, with a subsequent deadline for verification set for July 31, 2024.
Additionally, the NCC’s guidelines limit customers to four active SIMs per individual, with any excess SIMs required to be barred by March 29, 2024.
