The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has instructed telecom operators to immediately reconnect phone lines blocked during the NIN-SIM verification exercise.
This directive was issued on Monday. Many Nigerians experienced service interruptions over the weekend due to difficulties verifying the linkage between their National Identification Numbers (NINs) and their Subscriber Identification Modules (SIMs).
As a result, telecom providers blocked these numbers in accordance with the country’s NIN-SIM linkage policy.
The policy began in December 2020 when the government mandated that unregistered SIM cards and those not linked to NINs be barred. Although the NCC extended the deadline several times, April 15, 2024, was initially set as the final date for barring subscribers with unverified NIN details for four or fewer SIMs. This deadline was later extended to July 31, 2024, to give consumers more time for verification.
Despite these extensions, many phone lines remain unlinked with verified NINs. The NCC stated on Monday that the exercise aims to enhance national security and ensure the accuracy of the national SIM ownership database. The policy helps verify and protect users’ identities while supporting a robust digital economy.
To address the challenges caused by the blockages, the NCC has directed operators to reactivate all disconnected lines to allow consumers more time to complete the verification process. Reactivated consumers are advised that this is a temporary measure to enable proper NIN-SIM linkage.
The NCC urges those who have not yet verified their SIMs to do so promptly to maintain access to their phone lines.
