The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has announced that SIM cards that are yet to be linked to the National Identity Numbers (NIN) will no longer be active by the end of February 2024.
The Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the Commission, Aminu Maida, revealed this during a meeting with newsmen on Tuesday, February 6 2024.
“Pre-registered or illegally registered SIM has been a challenge for a long time. In 2021, there was a policy to link NIN with SIMs thinking that such will take care of the problem but people in the value chain lashed out on loopholes.” Maida added.
Recall that the compulsory linkage commenced in December 2020 when the Buhari-led administration directed telecommunication companies to block calls from unregistered and unlinked NINs.
Accordingly the policy was expectedly rolled out to assist security agencies in fighting insecurity ranging from banditry and terrorism ravaging the country on a daily.
However, several phone lines are yet to be linked, in spite of the extension of deadlines.
While stressing on the need to urgently act on the announcement, Maida added that the commission will hold telecom service providers accountable for service delivery to customers.
He expressed the Commission commitment to a more efficient delivery of services through the initiation of policies that would improve the telecommunication industry.
“We intend to hold our licensees accountable for all services. After all, the consumers pay for the services and they expect the service to be at a certain level or point so we will be holding our licensees accountable to ensure they deliver on their obligations to their licenses.
“We need to put smiles back on the faces of consumers. NCC is clear on this; we need to protect the interests of consumers. They remain number one because that is where you extract values from. Yet, the interest of licensed operators will also be protected while we put eyes on their activities to see the level of compliance.” He maintained.
He emphasized that the commission would focus more on the consumer, government and licensees and the industry.
Maida said that the commission will also be driven on the consumers of telecom services, the industry and the licensees, averring that the topmost are the internet service providers (ISPs), submarine-landed cable companies, and all of the licensees of the commission and last but not least, the government.
