Legal Nigeria

NCC orders telecom operators to reactivate lines barred over NIN-SIM verification

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has ordered telecommunication operators to reactivate all lines barred during the NIN-SIM verification exercise.

The NCC gave the directive in a statement on Monday signed by the Director of Media and Public Affairs, Reuben Muoka.

Many aggrieved subscribers whose lines have been barred besieged MTN offices across the country on Monday, July 29 to express their frustration and disappointment over the telecom company’s blocking of phone numbers.

MTN had barred the telephone lines of several users on Sunday, allegedly for failing to link their National Identification Numbers (NIN) with their mobile phone numbers.

It was gathered that the directive of the NCC to disconnect Subscriber Identity Module numbers (telephone lines) not linked to the National Identification Numbers, will take effect on July 31, 2024.

The latest deadline was extended from April 15, 2024, to July 31.

On February 29, NCC said 45 million subscribers would be barred for not implementing the linkage.

Source: Vanguard