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By Chinenye Anuforo
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has disclosed that National Identification Numbers (NINs) of some subscribers with less than four lines under the third phase of disconnection, had not yet been validated, hence the reason for the extension from April 15, 2024, to July 31, 2024.
The disconnection process, which began in February, was rolled out in three phases. The first occurred on February 28, 2024, which disconnected subscribers that have not submitted their NINs on or before February 28, 2024.
This is followed by the second phase of disconnection, which occurred on Friday, March 29, 2024, affecting subscribers with five or more lines are linked to an unverified NIN.
The third phase is the disconnection of subscribers with less than five lines, linked to an unverified NIN. Such lines are to be barred on or before 15 April 2024.
However, the NCC has confirmed extension of the deadline for the third phase disconnection from April 15, 2024, to July 31, 2024.
According to a reliable source from the commission, the grace was given to subscribers due to the fact that they have submitted their NINs, but yet to be verified.
“The subscribers under this category, have submitted their NINs and have less than four lines, which is permissible. Their NINs are yet to be verified, unlike those who haven’t done their NIN at all. So, we decided to give them more time, hence the extension,” the source stated.
He however appealed to subscribers to ensure they complete their NIN-SIM linkage as soon as possible, as it will help the federal government to tackle insecurity in the country.
Meanwhile, another reliable source in the industry told Daily Sun that, the reason NCC decided to extend the process was as a result of the huge loss it caused the telcos. He argued that the Telcos lost a lot of revenues and subscribers as a result of the NIN-SIM linkage.
Citing the recent data on NCC data base he said, “MTN’s total active subscriptions, which stood at 87 million in December 2023, plunged to 79.7 million in January, thereby, losing about 7.3million just in January.”
With the decline in actively connected lines recorded by the operators, the country’s teledensity, which measures the number of active telephone connections per 100 inhabitants living within an area, also declined to 100.75 in January 2024 from 103.66 per cent recorded in December last year.
