NCC Dismisses SIM-NIN Link Extension, Telecom Companies To Block 12 Million Lines

The Nigerian Communications Commission has confirmed that there will be no further extensions to the deadline of February 28, 2024 for linking Subscriber Identity Module cards to National Identification Numbers.

Telecommunication companies have been instructed to deactivate 12 million lines not associated with their owners’ NINs following the deadline.

The confirmation of the development was made by Reuben Mouka, the Director of Public Affairs at NCC, on Wednesday.

Mouka said, “We already issued a public notice in this regard and all the information. If there was an extension, NCC would have communicated that. But as far as I know, there is no extension.”

The Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria, Gbenga Adebayo, assured that telecom operators will adhere to the directive from the NCC.

Adebayo said, “About 12 million SIM cards may not have been linked to NIN. Some of these SIM cards work on modems and mifi devices. According to the regulatory directives, those numbers that are not properly linked to NIN will have services withdrawn  to them by midnight today. We stand by that regulatory directive and we are going to comply,”

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He declared, “No, the regulator has made it clear that there won’t be any further extension. Let us remember that this ought to have happened last year, but it was extended by the regulator till the 28th of February, 2024.”