Telecommunications companies have begun disconnecting mobile lines that are not linked to National Identification Numbers (NIN) following the expiration of the September 14 deadline set by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
In August, the NCC announced that from September 15, no SIM card would remain active without a verified NIN. Subscribers were encouraged to visit their service providers to resolve any verification issues before the deadline.
As of March 2024, there were 219 million active lines, with 153 million linked to NIN, leaving about 66 million lines at risk of disconnection.
Millions of lines were temporarily barred between July 28 and 29 due to unverified NINs, but the NCC later granted an extension. However, with the new deadline passed, disconnections have now commenced.
An NCC official confirmed there would be no further extensions, stating that many Nigerians have chosen not to link their SIMs despite repeated deadlines. Subscribers have faced challenges with the NIN-SIM linkage process, prompting calls for more time, but the NCC has maintained that the deadline is final.
The compulsory NIN-SIM linkage began in December 2020, with multiple deadline extensions since.
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