Mass MTN SIM Disconnections Tied to Incomplete or Mismatched NIN Registrations

MTN Nigeria, the country’s largest telecom company, blocked thousands of subscribers’ lines on Sunday, three days before the July 31, 2024 deadline set by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) for linking their National Identification Number (NIN).

MTN started blocking non-compliant SIMs back in December 2023, according to sources. However, many users reported their lines were blocked on Sunday, despite having linked their NINs. MTN’s spokesperson did not immediately comment.

The disconnections follow Nigerian regulators’ push for the NIN-linkage policy initiated in December 2020. The NCC initially set a deadline of February 28, 2024, later extended to April 15, 2024, and then to July 31, 2024, for subscribers to link their phone numbers to their NIN.

Telcos have provided simple steps for affected customers to unblock their lines. Airtel users should dial *121# and enter their NIN, Glo users should use *109*NIN#, MTN users should check and link their NIN at nin.mtn.ng, Smile users should email customercare@smile.com.ng or call 07020444444, Spectranet users should call 8002345678 and complete KYC at a store, and Ntel users should visit any Ntel store with their NIN.

Gbenga Adebayo, President of the Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), denied that the SIM bans were connected to protests. “If there is anything, it is the mismatch in NIN- SIM registration and customers who have received messages from operators to come and register and link their SIMs. It is just coincidental it is coming at this point,” he said.

In March 2024, MTN Nigeria CEO Karl Toriola said the company barred 8.6 million subscribers per NCC directives. Many lines were reactivated, reducing total subscribers by 2 million for Q1 2024. “We have 8.9 million subscribers under verification, mostly those with less than five SIMs linked to an unverified NIN,” Toriola explained.