The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) set a deadline of 28th February 2024 after which operators must fully block any SIM cards that are not registered to a National Identification Number (NIN).
In a statement to the Nigeria Stock Exchange, MTN noted that different deadlines applied to NINs that have been submitted but remain unverified. If five or more lines are linked to an unverified NIN, the SIM will be blocked by 29th March. The deadline is 15th April for unverified NINs with fewer than five lines. Subscribers wishing to unblock their SIMs must verify their NIN using biometric data.
MTN noted that it is engaging affected subscribers to encourage them to submit NINs for verification, and was enhancing the capacity of its service outlets to facilitate this, adding that it would continue to work with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to accelerate the process and ensure that its subscribers comply with the directive.
