In a move to enforce the federal government’s directive on the National Identification Number (NIN)-Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) linkage, telecom operators have commenced the disconnection of approximately 66 million phone lines across the country.
This action comes after multiple extensions and warnings to Nigerians to comply with the policy designed to improve national security and streamline the identification process.
Recall that as of March 2024, 153 million of the 219 million active lines across mobile networks like MTN, Glo, Airtel, and 9mobile were already connected to NIN, according to data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). This puts about 66 million phone lines in danger of being disconnected.
Due to unverified NINs, millions of lines were briefly blocked between July 28 and 29, resulting in significant disruptions across the nation.
Financial data from the first half of 2024 shows that 13.5 million lines were blocked by MTN Nigeria and Airtel Africa for breaking the NIN-SIM linking directive.
MTN reported it had blocked 8.6 million lines, while Airtel stated that 8.7 million of its customers had completed verification.
Telecom operators, including MTN, Airtel, Glo, and 9mobile, have urged affected subscribers to link their NIN to avoid permanent disconnection.
Subscribers whose lines have been deactivated still have the opportunity to reconnect by visiting any of the telecom providers’ service centers or NIMC offices to complete the process.
The directive, originally issued by the NCC in collaboration with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), mandates all mobile phone users in Nigeria to link their SIM cards to their unique NIN.
The policy, first introduced in 2020, was part of the government’s efforts to curb insecurity, fraud, and other criminal activities facilitated through unregistered or improperly registered phone lines.
Following multiple deadline extensions by the NCC since December 2023, the NCC said in a statement in August that it expected that no SIM card would remain active without a verified NIN from September 15.
An official at NCC, confirmed the disconnections, stating that non-compliant lines would be barred from making calls, sending messages, or using mobile data services until they complete the linkage process.
“We will disconnect anyone who refuses to comply; the grace period is over. The reason why we extended the last time was the misconception of Nigerians who claimed that the NCC wanted to frustrate the August 1 protest.”
He defended the NIN-SIM linkage as crucial to national security, adding that the policy is intended to create a central database that can be used to track criminal activity, verify identity, and enhance digital financial inclusion.
“Unregistered and unlinked SIMs have been identified as tools frequently used in the perpetration of criminal activities such as kidnapping, terrorism, and financial fraud. The NIN-SIM linkage is an essential step in safeguarding the nation and ensuring the integrity of our telecom infrastructure,” he added.
Despite the criticism, the government has maintained its commitment to the policy, insisting that citizens who fail to comply risk losing access to vital mobile services.
In its reaction, the president of the National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers, Adeolu Ogungbanjo, after touring several telecom hubs, responded by calling the NIN-SIM linkage process horrible.
Ogungbanjo hence begged that the NCC take into account extending the deadline in light of the technological problems that plagued the registration process last week. “I think they can still do that for maybe one week, but NCC deserves praise after a string of extensions,” he said.