Telecommunication companies in Nigeria have commenced the final phase of disconnecting Subscriber Identity Module, SIM, numbers (telephone lines) holders in the country. The companies are disconnecting those whose phone numbers are not linked to their National Identification Numbers, NIN.
This was reported by The PUNCH on Sunday. It stated that two senior officials from the telcos spoke on the development. Though they were not in a position to speak publicly on the matter, they, however, confirmed the development.
Recall that the disconnection was initially scheduled for April 15, 2024, but the Nigeria Communications Commission, NCC, postponed it to July 31, 2024. The decision for the shift in the date was in consideration of the various challenges encountered by subscribers who requested for extensions.
One of the officials reported by The PUNCH said, “This is not only about MTN; it’s an industry issue. The Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria will soon release a statement that will be shared very soon.”
The other source also reported by The PUNCH said the directive was from the NCC, the industry regulator. He, however, revealed that numerous channels have been provided to simplify the process for subscribers.
He said, “Subscribers are our customers, we cannot start disconnecting people’s lines. It’s important that these subscribers complain to link their lines with NIN.”
Efforts by The PUNCH to get information from the President of the National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers, Adeolu Ogunbanjo, proved abortive. It reported that Ogunbanjo was not available for comments after several calls.
Recall that NCC had given subscribers till July 31 to link their lines or risk been barred.
However, there are concerns that the telcos did not wait until the July 31 deadline before disconnecting phone lines. As a result, there are a lot of agitations on social media. With many Nigerians sharing their experiences and complaints on X (former Twitter).
According to reports, numerous users have reported that their SIM cards were barred despite completing the linking exercise. This is notwithstanding the provision of evidence of their compliance.
The Digital Communications Assistant to former President Muhammadu Buhari, Bashir Ahmad, commented on the development. He 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 PUNCH reported.
Another user, Kensola, expressed frustration at the development. He wrote, “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!”
Another telecom user, John, however, expressed confidence in the system. He said, “As far as I know, the phone numbers that were blocked have different SIM registration and NIN details. And I remember that SMS was even sent to the affected phone lines. And public awareness was made on how to fix the problem. But the propagandists of doom are saying that the network providers are barring some telephone lines because of the planned protest.”
Yakubu, who is also a user, questioned MTN’s actions, He said, “MTNNG, why are you blocking lines that are already linked to NIN? I just checked to confirm that my NIN is still linked, yet my number was suspiciously blocked. You’re causing distress for Nigerians at a very inconvenient time. The question is, ‘Why’?”
Recall that 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 had stated that the decision was prompted by rising incidents of insecurity in the country. Recall that during the concluding period of President Buhari’s administration there were continuous terrorist attacks, kidnappings, and banditry nationwide.
According to The PUNCH this final phase of disconnection targets subscribers with four SIM cards linked to a single phone line.
Recall that the disconnection process, which began in February 2024, 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.
According to The PUNCH telecommunication operators have blamed the National Identity Management Commission for its slow response in approving customer verification requests to link their phone numbers.
“The telecos 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.
The Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria, Gbenga Adebayo, disclosed this during an exclusive interview with The PUNCH on Sunday. He, however, expressed concerns that a good number of active customers might be blocked if a solution is not provided before Tuesday.
Adebayo, however, stated that the concern has been submitted to the Nigerian Communications Commission. He said the telcos are awaiting feedback from the regulatory agency through the appropriate channels.
source: PUNCH
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