Over 40 million Telephone Lines Barred For Failure To Link SIMs To NIN – NCC

Over 40 million telephone lines have been barred due to failure of the owners to link their SIMs to their National Identity Numbers (NIN).

The Director of Public Affairs Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC), Reuben Mouka, stated this on Tuesday,

He told some journalists in Abuja that the telephone lines that were barred were those that breached the Feb 28, 2024 deadline issued by the commission.

“If the barred lines are not acted upon in the next 180 days. They won’t be able to receive calls but will only be able to text and make calls.

“But after the stipulated days, they would be barred from making calls too. And may forfeit their lines to their respective service provider within 365 days.”

“The people whose lines are barred need to enroll for their NIN if they don’t have one. They can then take the number to their network providers to get their numbers restored.”

Muoka said retrieval of lines could only be done by the network providers who are saddled with the responsibility.

I will be recalled that the NCC directed all telephone users in the country to link their SIMs to the NIN in the bid to check the use of phones for criminal activities.

NCC gave Feb. 28 for all phone users to comply with the directive.