BREAKING: NCC Orders Immediate Reactivation Of Blocked Phone Lines

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has ordered operators to reactivate millions of phone lines affected by the linking of the National Identification Numbers (NINs) with their Subscriber Identification Modules (SIMs) (NIN-SIM).

Over the weekend, many subscribers/consumers were unable to access their phone lines after telecom companies blocked some phone lines.

LEADERSHIP reports that millions of phone users were unable to verify their NINs with their SIMs. This meant that their numbers were blocked by their telecom service providers in keeping with laws and policies of the NIN-SIM linkage.

Telcos Block Millions Of Phone Lines As NIN-SIM Linkage Deadline Approaches

A visit to the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) office in Ikeja, Lagos and some telecommunications companies customer service centers on Monday, showed that many subscribers in large numbers visited the service centers to rectify the issues with their linkage or to link their NIN to their SIMs.

However, in a press statement made available to LEADERSHIP on Monday afternoon, and signed by the director, Public Affairs, NCC, Reuben Muoka, the regulatory Commission said consumer is its priority, while directing all operators to reactivate all lines that were disconnected over the weekend in view of the short time available for consumers to undertake the verification of their NINs with their SIMs.

The press statement partly read: “The consumer is our priority; therefore, considering the challenges the blockages have caused, the Commission has directed all operators to reactivate all lines that were disconnected over the weekend in view of the short time available for consumers to undertake the verification of their NINs with their SIMs. Reactivated consumers are to note that this is for a limited period to allow them to properly link their NIN to their SIM.”

The Commission, therefore, tasked members of the public who are yet to verify their SIMs to do so as soon as possible to maintain access to their phone lines.