MTN Nigeria recently barred numerous subscribers’ SIM cards, just days ahead of the July 31, 2024 deadline the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) set for linking National Identification Numbers (NIN) to SIM cards.
The disconnection affected users who had not completed or had mismatched NIN registrations despite previous attempts to link their details.
While the telco provided guidelines for reactivating affected lines, customers expressed frustration over the abrupt service cutoff.
In response to the incident, telco operators emphasized the importance of complying with the NIN-SIM linkage policy, initially introduced in December 2020. Despite extensions to facilitate compliance, users continue to face challenges navigating the verification process.
Gbenga Adebayo, President of the Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), clarified that the disconnections were not intended to suppress protests but rather stemmed from compliance issues with regulatory directives.
The situation underscores telcos’ unwavering efforts to comply with national regulations while managing customer expectations and operational challenges associated with the verification exercise.
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