The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has instructed telecom operators to extend the NIN-SIM verification deadline beyond July 31, 2024.
Last week, the commission also directed telecom operators to reactivate mobile lines that had been barred due to NIN-SIM verification issues. Many subscribers had lost access to their phone lines because they couldn’t verify their National Identification Numbers (NINs) with their Subscriber Identification Modules (SIMs), leading to their numbers being blocked by service providers in accordance with NIN-SIM linkage laws and policies.
The mandatory linkage of NIN with SIM began in December 2020, following a government directive to telecommunication companies to bar unregistered SIM cards and those not linked to NINs. The deadline had been set for July 31, 2024, after several extensions.
A senior NCC official, who confirmed the extension to our reporter a few days ago, cited current national circumstances as the reason for the new deadline. The official, speaking anonymously due to a lack of authorization to address the media, said, “The situation might prevent telecom subscribers from accessing the telecom operators’ shops to complete their SIM-NIN verification.”
“I don’t know the exact new deadline yet, but operators have been instructed not to bar any lines until it is communicated to them,” the official added.
Attempts to reach the NCC’s spokesman, Reuben Mouka, were unsuccessful as his line was not connecting yesterday afternoon.
