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

Telecom service providers are required by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to block users who have not linked their phone numbers to their National Identification Numbers (NINs) by February 28, 2024, at the latest. At the 45th Kaduna International Trade Fair on Wednesday, Aminu Maida, the Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission, issued a directive through Ruben Mouka, the Director of Public Affairs, demanding that telecom users link their NIN to their SIM cards as a matter of critical national security. He maintained that the deadline of February 28th, which was set by telecom operators, should not be extended to subscribers who have not linked their NIN to SIM cards.

He continued, “To this end, on or before February 28, 2024, the National Communication Commission has directed all telecommunication operators to bar phone lines of subscribers whose lines are not linked to their NINs.” The head of the NCC also revealed that the telecom sector contributed 13.5% of the country’s GDP in 2023. The NCC, according to Maida, is dedicated to upholding customer satisfaction and safeguarding their rights. She also notes that the commission has established a setting that is widely accepted for obtaining “affordable and equitable service and supports the nation’s economic growth.”

He declared, “The Commission fulfills its responsibilities as the nation’s regulator of the telecommunications industry to guarantee service availability, affordability, and sustainability for all categories of consumers, who are leveraging on ICT/Telecoms to drive personal and business activities.” The head of the NCC urged telecom companies to put customer satisfaction first and maintain the highest standards of service delivery, pointing out that the commission has taken steps to protect the interests of both businesses and consumers. He mentioned the NCC’s May 17, 2023, directives to all licensed Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) directing them to start using approved Harmonized Short Codes (HSC) in order to offer services to Nigerian telecom customers, as one of these measures.

He continued, “The new initiative is enabling consumers to use the same codes to access services across all networks on Nigeria’s over 224 million active mobile telephone lines.”