National Telescope national telescope newspaper
By Taiwo Niyi, KWARA |
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has mandated telecommunications companies in Nigeria to promptly restore all phone lines that were disconnected due to the non-linkage of National Identification Numbers (NIN) to SIM cards.
This directive was announced on Monday by the Director of Media and Public Affairs at NCC, Reuben Muoka.
Since December 2023, the NCC has reviewed and extended the deadline for linking NINs to SIM cards several times.
The initial deadline was set for April 15, 2024, targeting subscribers with four or fewer SIMs that had unverified NIN details.
However, this was later extended to July 31, 2024, to give consumers more time for verification. Despite these extensions, many phone lines remain unlinked.
The NCC highlighted that the Federal Government’s objectives for this exercise include enhancing national security and ensuring an accurate national SIM ownership database.
The NIN-SIM linkage policy also aids in verifying and protecting users’ identities, providing critical infrastructure for access to a robust digital economy.
“The consumer is our priority. Considering the challenges caused by the blockages, the Commission has directed all operators to reactivate all lines that were disconnected over the weekend.
“This is to allow consumers more time to link their NINs to their SIMs properly,” the statement read.
Reactivated consumers should note that this period is limited and are urged to verify their SIMs with their NINs as soon as possible to maintain access to their lines. The public is encouraged to complete the verification process promptly.
