NIN-SIM Linkage: Disconnection of 66 million phone lines begin after expiration of deadline

Telecommunication companies have commenced the disconnection of over 66 million telephone lines without the National Identification Number, NIN and Subscriber Identification Module, SIM linkage after expiration of deadline.
The disconnection followed the directive by the Federal government that operators should disconnect NIN-SIM unconnected lines for security reasons.

CAPITAL POST recalled that the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, had issued several warnings and gave extensions to enable subscribers connect their lines.

The regulatory agency maintained that compulsory connection of telephone lines will improve security across the country and had campaigned vigorously for the connection since March 2024.

About 153 million of the 219 million active lines across mobile networks like MTN, Glo, Airtel, and 9mobile were already connected to NIN, according to data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). This puts about 66 million phone lines at the risk of disconnection from today.

In July, 2024, some unconnected lines were temporarily blocked with some experiencing disruptions as signals to hasten up their NIN-SIM connection. However, data showed that a substantial number of subscribers were yet unresponsive to the connection directive by the regulatory agency.