Abuja, Nigeria – The Nigerian Communications Commission directed telecommunication operators to reactivate, with immediate effect, all blocked SIM cards affected in the ongoing exercise of verification of NINs and linking them with SIM cards. This occurred after many MTN users lamented deactivation of their mobile lines for failure to link their NINs with phone numbers.
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According to Naija News, the blanket deactivation that began on Sunday left many customers very dissatisfied. MTN offices across the nation are now riddled with customers who flock to have their phone lines reactivated, protesting and lamenting the development that their lines were suddenly cut off.
The mandate by the NCC to disconnect SIMs not linked to NINs had been set to be enforced from July 31, 2024. An early deactivation taken unexpectedly by the operators, however, drove the regulatory body to intervene, underlining the need for urgent measures toward reinstating service to affected users.
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In a statement Monday, the NCC had reiterated that access to communication services must be available to all and declared its requirement for compliance with its reactivation order on telecommunications operators. The swift response from the commission shall ease inconveniences meted out on millions of subscribers and ensure them continued access to mobile services.
This move reflects the persisting difficulties and complexities left in the course of the NIN-SIM linkage exercise, an initiative within the strategy of the federal government toward cementing its action aimed at improving life security in the country and making processes of identification seamless. The latest directive by the NCC looks at striking a fine balance between these objectives and the need not to allow a communications blackout in Nigeria.
The type of measures that would facilitate the smooth and efficient restoration of service during the reactivation process should be implemented by the telecom operators. All subscribers whose SIMs were deactivated are advised to visit their respective service providers’ outlets or reach out to customer support in order to enable fast reactivation.
The NCC wishes to reassure the general public that it is still committed to collaborating with relevant stakeholders to have the NIN-SIM verification exercise implemented successfully while minimizing disruptions to critical telecom services.
