Telcos Report 30 Million GSM Lines Not Properly Linked to NIN

Gbenga Adebayo, Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), has revealed that over 30 million phone lines are not properly linked to a National Identification Number (NIN) and are at risk of disconnection.

These unlinked lines are primarily in car trackers, MiFi units, WiFi devices, and Point of Sale (POS) machines.

“The numbers are staggering,” Adebayo said in a recent interview with News Central, which was monitored by our correspondent. “We’re looking at potentially over 30 million SIM cards, including those in various digital devices, that haven’t been properly linked to the NIN. Many of these SIMs are in car trackers, POS machines, MiFis, WiFis, and other devices.”

This update follows recent disruptions caused by the enforcement of NIN linkage requirements.

Last weekend, telecom operators began blocking lines not linked to NINs ahead of the Nigerian Communications Commission’s (NCC) July 31, 2024, deadline. Since February 2024, telecoms have been disconnecting lines in phases to comply with an NCC directive, which started in 2023 and concluded at the end of July 2024.

Industry experts reported that three million lines were initially blocked before the NCC instructed telecoms to restore the disconnected numbers.

Adebayo explained that these disconnections were due to mismatches between records held by telecom operators and the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC). “There have been cases where individuals’ NINs did not match our records,” Adebayo said. “These discrepancies need to be addressed at service centers for proper verification.”

He clarified that the timing of the disconnections coincided with nationwide protests but emphasized that the action was unrelated to these events. “Unfortunately, the disconnections happened around the same time as the protests, but there was no intention to stifle communication,” he stated. “We are committed to providing services fairly and without discrimination.”

Adebayo also stressed the importance of accurate data in creating a reliable national database. “For the database to be reliable, everyone must provide accurate information,” he urged. “The reliability of the database depends on the quality of the information supplied by the public.”

In response to the issues caused by the disconnections, Adebayo noted that the NCC has directed all operators to temporarily reactivate disconnected lines, allowing consumers to properly link their NINs to their SIM cards.