Business
Telcos Begin Final Phase Of SIM Dissconnection
Subscribers whose numbers are not linked to NIN might face final disconnection, as Telecommunication companies in Nigeria have commenced the final phase of disconnecting Subscriber Identity Module numbers (telephone lines) not linked to National Identification Numbers(NIN).
Reliable source from the telcos has confirmed this development to journalist on Sunday.
The disconnection was initially scheduled for April 15, 2024, but the Nigeria Communications Commission postponed it to July 31, 2024, after carefully considering the various challenges encountered by subscribers and requests for extensions.
“This is not only about MTN, it’s an industry issue. The Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria will soon release a statement on this.
“Subscribers are our customers, we cannot start disconnecting people’s lines. It’s important that these subscribers comply to link their lines with NIN”, the source stated.
There are, however, concerns that the telcos did not wait until the July 31 deadline before disconnecting phone lines. This has sparked outrage on social media, with many Nigerians sharing their experiences and complaints.
Numerous users have reported that their SIM cards were barred despite completing the linking exercise, and they have provided evidence of their compliance.
The Digital Communications Assistant to former President Muhammadu Buhari, Bashir Ahmad, had tweeted, “It seems MTN has blocked hundreds of numbers from their network today. Many people around me have complained about losing service. Has anyone else experienced this issue?”
The order for telecom operators to block SIM cards not linked to NINs is in line with a similar mandate from 2020. The Federal Government stated that the decision was prompted by continuous terrorist attacks, kidnappings, and banditry nationwide during the concluding period of President Buhari’s administration.
There are indications that this final phase of disconnection targets subscribers with four SIM cards linked to a single phone line.
The disconnection process, which began in February, has been rolled out in three phases. The first phase occurred on February 28, 2024, followed by the second phase on March 29, 2024.
During the initial deadline on February 28, 2024, the industry regulator reported that about 40 million lines not linked to NINs were barred.
Meanwhile, telecommunication operators have blamed the National Identity Management Commission for its slow response in approving customer verification requests to link their phone numbers.
They stated that the issue which limited the number of approved verification requests to link their NINs during the last extension period might lead to the disconnection of active customers who fulfilled the requirements but were unverified by the identity commission.
Corlins Walter