Telecommunications operators are set to begin disconnecting mobile phone lines that are not linked to National Identifications Numbers (NINs), following the expiration of the September 14 deadline, as mandated by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
In an August statement, the NCC emphasised that no SIM card should remain active without a verified NIN starting from September 15.
The commission had urged subscribers experiencing issues with the NIN-SIM linkage, particularly due to verification mis-matches, to visit their service providers promptly before the deadline.
However, with the deadline now passed, disconnections will proceed as scheduled.
Speaking anonymous, an NCC official ruled out the possibility of any further deadline extensions.
“We will disconnect anyone who refuses to comply; the grace period is over,” the official stated, clarifying that the last extension was to dispel misconceptions about the NCC’s role in the August 1 protests.
The official emphasized that the commission had no intention of frustrating subscribers and urged Nigerians to complete the process without further delay.
In a bid to streamline the NIN-SIM linkage process, both the NCC and NIMC strengthened their partnership earlier this year, launching public awareness campaigns and providing training to stakeholders.
The directive to link NINs with SIM cards began in December 2020, with the Nigerian government mandating that unregistered SIMs be barred.
Although multiple extensions were granted throughout 2023 and early 2024, the current deadline marks the final phase of enforcement.
