Telcos may lose subscribers as NCC orders total bar of unlinked SIMs

•ALTON appeals as customers have till February to comply

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has directed telecommunications operators to implement full blockage of all subscribers identification module (SIM) cards not linked to national identification numbers (NINs) by February 28, 2024.

The operators, including MTN, Airtel, Globacom, 9mobile, among others have been lettered to carry out the exercise as directed.

As of August, The Guardian checks showed that the telecoms operators have 220 million subscriptions, of which MTN has 85 million; Glo, 61 million; Airtel, 60 million and 9mobile, 13 million.

The mandatory NIN-SIM Linkage exercise began in December 2020 as directed by the Federal Government. The telecoms operators have already lost over 20 million subscriptions as some subscribers abandoned their lines. However, operators, with several promo packages, including free airtime incentives, recovered some lines as more Nigerians registered for NIN.

However, findings showed that about 10 million are yet to be recovered. The new directive might cost operators more subscriptions.

In a letter sent to its shareholders, and made available to journalists, yesterday, MTN disclosed that it received a formal directive from the NCC to implement full network barring on all phone lines for which the subscribers have not submitted their NINs as well as those whose NINs are unverified.

MTN said this was part of an industry-wide directive that requires phone lines for which the subscribers have not submitted their NINs to be barred on or before February 28, 2024.

The firm explained that about NINs that have been submitted but not verified, such lines are to be barred on or before March 29, 2024, where five or more lines are linked to an unverified NIN. Similarly, it disclosed that where less than five lines are linked to an unverified NIN, such lines are to be barred on or before April 15, 2024.

“All affected subscribers must be verified (biometrics and biodata) before their lines are unbarred,” MTN stated.

The telecommunications firm explained that this is a follow-up to the NCC’s directive on April 4, 2022, requiring operators to restrict outgoing calls (one-way barring) for subscribers whose lines are not associated with NINs.

MTN said it is further engaging the affected subscribers through “all our channels to encourage them to submit their NINs for verification. As part of these efforts, we are enhancing the capacity of our various service outlets to make the process smoother and more efficient. We are committed to ensuring that our subscribers comply with the NCC directive and will continue to work with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to accelerate the NIN verification process.”

“As a law-abiding corporate citizen and in line with our operating licence requirements, we are committed to complying with the industry-wide directive from the NCC and will provide further updates to investors on progress and potential impact with the release of FY 2023 results.

“We urge all our subscribers who have not yet linked their NIN to their lines to take immediate action by visiting the nearest MTN outlet or using any of our digital channels before the deadlines. Those without a NIN should visit any of the NIMC’s enrollment centers nationwide to enrol for NIN,” it stated.

Reacting, the Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) has appealed to telephone users in the country not to wait till the time elapses.

In a statement made available to journalists and signed by the Chairman, Gbenga Adebayo and Executive Secretary, Gbolahan Awonuga, despite the limited service restriction, millions of subscribers have yet to submit their NINs for verification.

“The importance of the NIN cannot be overemphasized. It is crucial for a reliable and sustainable National Identity Management System in Nigeria. It enables economic inclusion and access to government services and helps address security concerns. Supporting the NIN initiative is necessary for a thriving digital economy and building a safer society. Therefore, our members are committed to implementing the directive as law-abiding corporate citizens who are highly supportive of the government’s objective to build a digital economy,” ALTON stated.

The telecoms body appealed to subscribers to enrol for NINs or submit their NINs through the appropriate channel advertised by members to avoid full suspension of services by the set deadlines.