By Omowumi Omotosho
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has mandated telecommunication operators to promptly reconnect all phone lines that were deactivated due to the NIN-SIM verification process.
NCC in a statement issued on Monday explained that many Nigerians were unable to access their phone lines over the weekend because they could not “verify” the linkage of “their national identification numbers (NINs) with their subscriber identification modules (SIMs).”
This situation,consequently led to the blocking of their numbers by telecom service providers, by the countryโs NIN-SIM linkage policy.
This policy, initiated in December 2020, requires telecommunication companies to deactivate unregistered SIM cards and those not linked to NINs.
The deadline for this linkage has been adjusted several times since December 2023, with the most recent deadline set for April 15, 2024, for the full network, barring subscribers with four or fewer SIMs that had unverified NIN details.
This deadline was later extended to July 31, 2024, “to give consumers more time to ensure their submitted NIN details are properly verified.”
Despite these extensions, the NCC noted in their Monday statement that many phone lines still lack verified NIN links.
“The objectives of this exercise by the Federal Government of Nigeria include enhancing national security and ensuring the national SIM ownership database is accurate. The NIN-SIM linkage policy aids in verifying and protecting usersโ identities while also providing a critical infrastructure that assures access to the benefits of a robust digital economy for the citizenry,” the NCC emphasized.
“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 given the short time available for consumers to undertake the verification of their NINs with their SIMs. Reactivated consumers are to note that this is for a limited period to allow them to properly link their NIN to their SIM.”
The NCC, therefore, urged the public to verify their SIMs “as soon as possible to maintain access to their lines.”
