Telecommunication companies in Nigeria have started the final phase of disconnecting SIM cards that are not linked to National Identification Numbers (NIN).
This process, initially planned for April 15, 2024, was postponed to July 31, 2024, by the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC).
Two senior officials from the telecom industry confirmed this to The PUNCH on Sunday.
One official mentioned that this issue affects the entire telecom sector, not just MTN. The Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria is expected to release a statement soon.
The disconnection is due to a directive from the NCC, which provided several channels for subscribers to link their SIM cards with their NIN.
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One official stated, “Subscribers are our customers, we cannot start disconnecting people’s lines. It’s important that these subscribers comply to link their lines with NIN.”
There are concerns that some telecom companies did not wait until the July 31 deadline to start disconnecting phone lines. This has caused outrage on social media, with many Nigerians sharing their complaints and experiences.
Some users reported their SIM cards were blocked even though they had completed the linking process.
Bashir Ahmad, Digital Communications Assistant to former President Muhammadu Buhari, tweeted about the issue, noting that many people complained about losing service.
Another user, Kensola, expressed frustration, saying, “It’s still shocking to me that my MTN line will just be blocked temporarily for no just cause. I linked it with NIN for years now. What is the problem? Are we sure the state actors are not trying to stamp on dissenting voices? Let’s all be mindful!”
The final phase of disconnection targets subscribers with four SIM cards linked to one phone line. This phase began in February and has been rolled out in three stages.
The first phase was on February 28, 2024, followed by the second on March 29, 2024. Initially, about 40 million lines not linked to NINs were barred.
Telecom operators blame the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) for delays in approving customer verification requests.
This slow response might lead to the disconnection of active customers who met the requirements, but were not verified by NIMC.
The Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria, Gbenga Adebayo, expressed concerns about this issue. He mentioned that the verification process is handled by NIMC, not the telecom operators.
Efforts to get a response from the NCC and NIMC on this matter were unsuccessful.
Beyond Boders recalls that the NCC in December 2023, directed all telecom operators to block SIMs not linked to NIN by February 28, 2024.
This led to the barring of 40 million lines. The deadline for customers who submitted their NIN but remained unverified was shifted to July 31, 2024.
Airtel Africa, in its financial statement for the first half of 2024, said it could lose up to $4 million in monthly revenue due to the inability to verify about 4.9 million customers. MTN and other major operators have also begun barring unverified users.
The telecom industry is also undergoing an audit of its billing system to address customer complaints about data depletion and voice tariffs.
The ALTON chair stated this is part of efforts to ensure transparency and integrity in the sector.
