KEY POINTS
- Telecom operatorsto begins disconnecting numbers of individuals who failed to provide their NINs after the set date of September 14.
- There are 66 million mobile lines which are still not linked and can easily be deactivated.
- However, NCC put its foot down with regards to further extensions of the deadline, and is calling on its subscribers to be compliant.
Telecommunications operators in Nigeria have begun the process of disconnecting individuals with their mobile numbers that are not registered with the NIN due to the NCC’s deadline given on the 14th of September.
The commission had earlier provided the deadline with multiple extensions so that the subscribers can adhere to the same, but as the latest deadline has been provided and passed, the telcos will begin deleting the unlinked lines.
Sixty six million mobile lines to be unlinked
According to data from the NCC, about sixty six million mobile lines in the major networks including MTN, Glo, Airtel and 9mobile is still unlinked to their respective NINs as of March, 2024. This is approximately one-third of the total current active mobile lines in the country, which currently stands at 219million, hence millions of users are fairly vulnerable to disconnection.
One NCC official, who preferred to remain anonymous, was forwarded to give a statement which stated clearly and categorically that the extension of the deadline will be the last; so far, disconnection will go on as planned.
The subscribers also complained of one major inconvenience when trying to get their SIM cards linked with the NIN through the various channels available, according to The Punch
It is regrettable that even though the authorities concerned have endeavored to make the NIN-SIM linkage easy to achieve, the subscribers encounter severe technical challenges that affect their ability to complete the process. Some of the subscribers have received various challenges as they try to upload their information through the NIMC portal.
A plea for deadline extension by one week
Telecommunications subscribers have regressed to pre-AfCADA days, according to Adeolu Ogungbanjo, President of the National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers, referring to the current state as terrible demanding that NCC should increase the deadline to one week for remedies to be made.
MTN Nigeria and Airtel Africa have already banned a total of 13.5Â million lines for non-compliance, based on their financial statements of the first half of 2024. Although the implementation of the NIN-SIM linkage directive started in December 2020, it has been slightly affected by technical hitches and the general apathy from the public.
However, with no other extension of deadline announced, the subscribers are advised to go through the process or else their mobile lines will be disconnected.
