SIMs With Submitted But Unlinked NINs Will Not Be Blocked – Telcos

• Subscribers with NIN have until January 19 as deadline to link their NIN with their SIM cards while subscribers without NIN have until February 9 to do so.
• The NIMC has said it is not aware of any planned extension of the deadline

Mobile operators have said that SIMs with unlinked but submitted National Identity Numbers (NINs) would not be blocked as the deadline for registration elapses today.

Chairman, Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Gbenga Adebayo, made this known on Tuesday on behalf of the telecommunications companies – Airtel, MTN, Globacom, and 9Mobile.

He said: “If you already have your NIN and you have delivered the number to your service provider and it has been acknowledged and forwarded to NIMC, I don’t think the penalty will be there for you as from tomorrow (Tuesday) if your SIM has not been registered with the NIN.

Read also: FG Issue 14-day Ultimatum To Telcos To Block SIMs Without NIN

“This is because as far as you are concerned as a subscriber, you have uploaded that number to your operator and forwarded to NIMC.

“Now the further interrogation of that means that you are not supposed to be penalised because you have done what you are required to do to your service provider and to NIMC.”

Adebayo however stressed that the penalty would be mainly for those who do not have the NIN and who were unable to deliver their NINs to their service providers.

Eko Hot Blog recalls that the Federal Government through the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) had ordered telcos to deactivate sim cards of subscribers who failed to link their phones to their National Identity Number.