Telecom operators barred 40m telephone lines without NIN link—NCC

Nigeria Communication Commission has reported that 40 million mobile lines have been barred due to failure of the subscribers to link their SIMs to their National Identity Numbers (NIN). Reuben Mouka, the Director of Public Affairs in the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC), said this in Abuja. He told some journalists  that the telephone lines that were barred were those that breached the Feb 28, 2024 deadline issued by the commission.

“If the barred lines are not acted upon in the next 180 days. They won’t be able to receive calls but will only be able to text and make calls. But after the stipulated days, they would be barred from making calls too. And may forfeit their lines to their respective service provider within 365 days.” The people whose lines are barred need to enrol for their NIN if they don’t have one.  They can then take the number to their network providers to get their numbers restored. Muoka said retrieval of lines could only done by the network providers who are saddled with the responsibility. It will be recalled that the NCC directed all telephone users in the country to link their SIMs to the NIN in the bid to check the use of phones for criminal activities. NCC gave Feb. 28 for all phone users to comply with the directive.