The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has directed telecommunications companies, including MTN Nigeria and Airtel, to fully bar phone lines without National Identity Numbers (NINs) and those whose NINs have not been verified. This directive is part of an industry-wide mandate, and telecom firms are instructed to implement the barring of affected lines by specific deadlines.
According to a statement filed by MTN Nigeria with the Nigerian Exchange Limited, the deadlines for the barring of lines are as follows:
- Phone lines without NINs: On or before February 28, 2024.
- NINs submitted but not verified: On or before March 29, 2024, for cases where five or more lines are linked to an unverified NIN.
- NINs submitted but not verified (less than five lines): On or before April 15, 2024, for cases where less than five lines are linked to an unverified NIN.
The directive emphasizes that affected subscribers must undergo verification (biometrics and biodata) before their lines can be unbarred. The current directive follows the NCC’s previous instruction in April 2022, which required operators to restrict outgoing calls (one-way barring) for subscribers whose lines were not associated with NINs.
MTN Nigeria encouraged affected subscribers to submit their NINs for verification, and the company is working to enhance the capacity of its service outlets to streamline the process. The telecom firm expressed its commitment to complying with the NCC directive and willingness to collaborate with the National Identity Management Commission to expedite the NIN verification process.
