Approximately 11.2 million active Subscriber Identity Module cards face impending blockage due to their non-linkage with National Identity Numbers. National Identity Numbers today, February 29, 2024.

Telecom operators confirmed this compliance with the Nigerian Communications Commission directive.

NCC’s Executive Vice Chairman, Dr. Aminu Maida, reiterated the deadline during the ongoing 45th Kaduna International Trade Fair.

He emphasized the critical national security importance of linking SIMs to NINs, despite a recent Federal High Court injunction against deactivating unlinked SIMs.

Maida, represented by NCC’s Director of Public Affairs, Reuben Mouka, stated, “as a matter of critical national security, telecom consumers must link their SIMs to their NINs.”

The court injunction issued by Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa on Tuesday prohibited deactivating SIMs not linked to NINs. However, the NCC and telecom operators are yet to appeal the decision.

The SIM-NIN synchronization, introduced by the government on December 16, 2020, aims to enhance security by enabling agencies to track criminals. However, concerns have been raised by Nigerians regarding the effectiveness of this measure in tracking criminals, especially bandits and kidnappers.

As of the latest data released by the NCC, there are 224.7 million active mobile telephone lines in the country. NIMC spokesman Kayode Adegoke reported that 104 million NINs have been registered so far.

The NCC had set February 28, 2024, as the deadline for telecom operators to block unlinked subscribers.

Maida reiterated, “The Commission has directed all telecommunication operators to bar phone lines of subscribers whose lines are not linked to their NINs on or before February 28, 2024.” An NCC source confirmed that 11.2 million SIM cards are yet to be linked and will be barred from service.