The Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, has disclosed that the over 40 million telephone lines barred after failing to link their National Identity Numbers, NIN, might be forfeited soon.
Director of Public Affairs, NCC, Reuben Mouka, made this known on Tuesday, March 5, saying the telephone lines barred by their telecommunication operators have breached the February 28, 2024, deadline issued by the commission mandating telecommunication customers to link their Subscriber Identity Modules, SIM cards to their NIN.
“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 might forfeit their lines to their respective service provider within 365 days,” Mouka said.
Earlier, NCC gave reasons why some telecommunications subscribers who previously linked their SIM cards to their National Identification Number, NIN, had their mobile lines barred.
The commission had issued a directive to telecommunication service providers to bar subscribers who have refused to link their phone numbers to their NIN on or before February 28.
Muoka, also speaking said some SIM cards have verification and identification issues like disparity in information such as names and other data.
“People who probably didn’t get a cleared or verified NIN have been barred because the earlier ones they submitted were not good,” Muoka said.
“There are still some subscribers whose NINs are yet to be verified by NIMC and those have to also be corrected.”
