Telcos Ordered To Block Lines That Aren’t Connected To NIN

TelecomserviceprovidersarerequiredbytheNigerianCommunicationsCommission(NCC)toblockuserswhohavenotlinkedtheirphonenumberstotheirNationalIdentificationNumbers(NINs)byFebruary28,2024,atthelatest. Atthe45thKadunaInternationalTradeFaironWednesday,AminuMaida,theExecutiveViceChairmanoftheCommission,issuedadirectivethroughRubenMouka,theDirectorofPublicAffairs,demandingthattelecomuserslinktheirNINtotheirSIMcardsasamatterofcriticalnationalsecurity. HemaintainedthatthedeadlineofFebruary28th,whichwassetbytelecomoperators,shouldnotbeextendedtosubscriberswhohavenotlinkedtheirNINtoSIMcards.

Hecontinued,“Tothisend,onorbeforeFebruary28,2024,theNationalCommunicationCommissionhasdirectedalltelecommunicationoperatorstobarphonelinesofsubscriberswhoselinesarenotlinkedtotheirNINs.” TheheadoftheNCCalsorevealedthatthetelecomsectorcontributed13.5%ofthecountry’sGDPin2023. TheNCC,accordingtoMaida,isdedicatedtoupholdingcustomersatisfactionandsafeguardingtheirrights.Shealsonotesthatthecommissionhasestablishedasettingthatiswidelyacceptedforobtaining“affordableandequitableserviceandsupportsthenation’seconomicgrowth.”

Hedeclared,“TheCommissionfulfillsitsresponsibilitiesasthenation’sregulatorofthetelecommunicationsindustrytoguaranteeserviceavailability,affordability,andsustainabilityforallcategoriesofconsumers,whoareleveragingonICT/Telecomstodrivepersonalandbusinessactivities.” TheheadoftheNCCurgedtelecomcompaniestoputcustomersatisfactionfirstandmaintainthehigheststandardsofservicedelivery,pointingoutthatthecommissionhastakenstepstoprotecttheinterestsofbothbusinessesandconsumers. HementionedtheNCC’sMay17,2023,directivestoalllicensedMobileNetworkOperators(MNOs)directingthemtostartusingapprovedHarmonizedShortCodes(HSC)inordertoofferservicestoNigeriantelecomcustomers,asoneofthesemeasures.

Hecontinued,“ThenewinitiativeisenablingconsumerstousethesamecodestoaccessservicesacrossallnetworksonNigeria’sover224millionactivemobiletelephonelines.”