The Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) has reaffirmed its commitment to the deadline for the disconnection of Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) numbers not linked to National Identification Numbers (NIN). The Director of Public Publicity at the NCC, Reuben Mouka, clarified that there will be no changes to the deadline for the next phase of disconnection, scheduled for Friday, March 29, 2024.
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The NCC’s directive for disconnection is being implemented in phases, with the second phase set to continue as previously announced. The initial phase occurred on February 28, 2024, resulting in approximately 40 million lines being barred for non-compliance with the SIM-NIN linkage initiative.
Telecommunication companies, such as MTN Nigeria, reported disconnecting over 4.2 million lines from their networks after the February 28 deadline. The NCC emphasized its commitment to enforcing regulatory measures aimed at enhancing security and compliance within the telecommunications sector.
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The SIM-NIN linkage initiative, introduced by the Nigerian government in December 2020, requires all telephone line users to associate their SIM cards with their NINs. The NCC directive, issued in December of the previous year, mandated complete network barring on all phone lines lacking NIN linkage by February 28, 2024.
Recent developments include warnings from the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) regarding potential legal action against the NCC for infringing on citizens’ rights, and a joint statement by the National Identity Management Commission and the NCC announcing a strategic partnership to simplify the NIN-SIM linkage process.
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Furthermore, the Central Bank of Nigeria announced plans to freeze accounts lacking a Bank Verification Number (BVN) or NIN, starting April 2024. Banks have been actively urging customers to update their NIN and BVN details, with the CBN issuing directives to place restrictions on accounts without BVN or NIN.
The circular by the CBN instructed banks to implement a “Post No Debit” restriction on accounts without BVN or NIN, effective immediately, with further restrictions for funded accounts starting March 1, 2024. These measures aim to enhance security and improve service delivery across the country.