Telecommunications operators in Nigeria are poised to disconnect mobile lines that remain unlinked to National Identification Numbers (NIN), following the lapse of the September 14 deadline set by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
As stated by the NCC in August, no SIM card will be operational without a validated NIN after September 15. The commission has urged subscribers who have not yet linked their NIN to their SIMs or experienced verification issues to visit their service providers promptly to rectify their information.
Current NCC data shows that as of March 2024, there are 219 million active lines across major mobile networks, with only 153 million linked to NIN, leaving approximately 66 million lines facing imminent disconnection.
In late July, temporary restrictions were placed on millions of lines due to unverified NINs, causing significant disruptions nationwide. Although the NCC initially chose to extend the compliance period, the deadline has now expired.
An anonymous NCC official stated there would be no further extensions, emphasizing, “The grace period is over. Those who refuse to comply will be disconnected.” The official reassured that the commission does not intend to disconnect subscribers out of malice and acknowledged that many have thus far opted not to link their SIMs for varying reasons.
Despite challenges reported at NIN registration centers, the official insisted that completing the linkage process is critical and reiterated that no additional extensions will be granted.
Subscribers have expressed frustration over difficulties encountered on the National Identity Management Commission’s registration portal. The President of the National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers highlighted the severe challenges faced, urging the NCC to consider a brief extension to assist those struggling to comply.
Efforts to streamline the NIN-SIM linkage process have been bolstered by the collaboration between the NCC and the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), which have initiated awareness campaigns and stakeholder training.
Preliminary financial reports indicate that MTN Nigeria and Airtel Africa have collectively barred 13.5 million lines for non-compliance with the NIN-SIM linkage directive, with MTN blocking 8.6 million lines and Airtel reporting that 8.7 million of its customers successfully completed verification.
The mandatory linkage of NIN to SIM cards commenced in December 2020, when the government mandated telecom companies to restrict unregistered SIMs and those without NIN links. After several extensions since late 2023, the NCC has declared April 15, 2024, as the ultimate deadline for subscribers with four or fewer SIMs without verified NIN information.
