- The commission says it is committed to protecting the privacy and data of Nigerians.
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has doubled down on its order to telecom operators to bar telephone subscribers not linked to their National Identification Numbers (NIN) on or before February 28, 2024.
Speaking at the ongoing 45th Kaduna International Trade Fair on Wednesday, Aminu Maida, executive vice-chairman of the NCC, says the commission is committed to protecting the privacy and data of Nigerians.
Maida, represented by Reuben Mouka, NCC’s director of public affairs, insisted that as a matter of critical national security, telecom consumers must link their NIN to their SIM.
“To this end, the commission has directed all telecommunication operators to bar phone lines of subscribers whose lines are not linked to their NINs on or before February 28, 2024,” Maida said.
Speaking further, Maida said as a regulator of the telecommunications sector in the country, “the commission carries out its functions to ensure service availability, accessibility, affordability, and sustainability for all categories of consumers, who are leveraging ICT/Telecoms to drive personal and business activities”.
According to the executive vice-chairman, as NCC fosters economic growth through the development of local content, as well as addresses the challenges faced by consumers, the commission is “committed to protecting their rights while ensuring their satisfaction”.
“We therefore encourage businesses and service providers to prioritize customer satisfaction and uphold the highest standards of service delivery With our keen interest and commitment to consumer protection, the NCC has implemented measures to safeguard the interest of consumers and businesses alike,” he said.
“Campaign on National Identification Number-Subscriber Identification Module (NIN-SIM) linkage – NIN-SIM Linkage is a process of connecting your NIN to your phone number to authenticate and protect your identity. To link your NIN to your SIM, a subscriber needs to submit his/her NIN to their respective Service Provider to complete the process of NIN-SIM linkage
“For subscribers who do not have the NIN, they can obtain theirs from National Identification Management Commission (NIMC) enrolment centres of your service providers customer care centres, and you need a valid ID Card and BVN for enrolment.
“A subscriber can also link his/her NIN to his/her SIM by sending NIN- your 11 digit NIN to 996 or Dial *996*.”
On December 18, 2023, MTN Nigeria had announced that the commission had directed all telecommunication operators to bar phone lines of unlinked subscribers from February 2024