Telecom operators have issued a new deadline for subscribers who have not linked their National Identity Numbers with their Subscriber Identity Module cards, warning of potential disconnection. 

Acting through the Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria, the operators stated that Mobile Station International Subscriber Directory Numbers without associated NINs must be linked by February 28, 2024, to avoid suspension.

ALTON emphasized that MSISDNs linked to an unverified NIN, especially when five or more are involved, will face disconnection by March 29, 2024. 

For cases with fewer than five MSISDNs linked to an unverified NIN, disconnection will occur by April 15, 2024. The operators clarified that this action aligns with a directive from the Nigerian Communications Commission.

In their official statement, Gbenga Adebayo and Gbolahan Awonuga, ALTON’s chairman and Executive Secretary, highlighted the NCC’s directive, dated December 15, 2023, instructing full network barring for MSISDNs lacking submitted NINs. 

The operators stressed the importance of biometric and bio-data verification for affected subscribers before service restoration.

“We, the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) refers to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC’s) directive dated 15 December 2023 communicated to our members to implement full network barring on all MSISDNs for which the subscribers have not submitted their national identity numbers (NINs) and those without verified NINs.

“The NCC has directed our members that all MSISDNs for which the subscribers have not submitted their NINs, are to be barred on or before 28 February 2024.

“That where five or more MSISDNs are linked to an unverified NIN, such MSISDNs are to be barred on or before 29 March 2024; where less than five MSISDNs are linked to an unverified NIN, such MSISDNs are to be barred on or before 15 April 2024.

“All affected subscribers must be verified (biometrics and bio-data) before their lines are unbarred,” the carriers said.

The SIM/NIN harmonization program, initiated by the Federal Government in December 2020 through the NCC, mandates telecom subscribers to link their NINs to SIM registration records to avoid service disruptions. 

Despite the program’s ongoing implementation, millions of subscribers have yet to submit their NINs for verification.

The NCC’s directive, effective since April 4, 2022, initially imposed outgoing call restrictions on MSISDNs without submitted NINs. 

However, the non-compliance of millions of subscribers led to the recent directive, dated December 15, 2023, for full network barring.