NCC warns Nigerians over Unlinked NIN SIM Cards

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has issued a stern warning, stating that SIM cards not linked to National Identity Numbers (NIN) will face deactivation by the end of February.

Aminu Maida, the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NCC, made this announcement during a press briefing held on Tuesday, February 6th.

“By the end of this month, SIMs without NIN will no longer work,” Mr. Maida emphasized.

The compulsory linkage between SIM cards and NINs commenced in December 2020, following a directive from the government instructing telecommunication companies to block calls from unregistered and unlinked NINs.

The primary objective of this policy was to aid in the fight against banditry and terrorism, as these crimes often involve the use of untraceable communication channels. Despite multiple deadline extensions, a significant number of phone lines remain unlinked to NINs.

Addressing the persistent challenge of pre-registered or illegally registered SIM cards, Mr. Maida acknowledged that previous efforts to tackle this issue, such as the NIN-SIM linkage policy implemented in 2021, fell short due to identified loopholes in the process.

Moving forward, the NCC aims to adopt a data-driven approach to decision-making, holding telecom service providers accountable for their service delivery to consumers.

“We intend to hold our licensees accountable for all services,” Mr. Maida affirmed.

“Consumers pay for these services and rightfully expect a certain level of quality. We will ensure that licensees fulfill their obligations, thereby restoring confidence and satisfaction among consumers.”