NIN-SIM Link: 72 Million Subscribers Groan Over Blocked Lines As Telcos Count Loses

• Over 72 million subscribers have been barred from using their lines as the Nigerian government's directive became effective on Monday, April 4, 2022
• Telecommunication companies are counting losses of disconnected lines as they fear the loss of revenue
• But a source confirmed that the barred lines can still access the internet, send SMS and receive calls

Telecommunication companies in Nigeria are hit hard due to the disconnection of over 72 million telephone lines in Nigeria on Monday, April 4, 2022.

The losses run into billions of naira, according to telecom experts who said the biggest losers in the government directive are the telcos.

The firms rely on the sales of airtime for revenue and the directive is a direct blow to their major source of income.

Barred from outgoing calls

The subscribers have been barred from making further calls with their unlinked lines, as per directives from the Nigerian government.

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What to do if you link your SIM with NIN but MTN, Glo, Airtel still bar your line from making calls

The subscribers were unable to meet the deadline of March 31 set by the Isa Pantami-led Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy.

A statement by the ministry says about 125 million SIMs have been linked to the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).

The Punch reports that subscribers can still link their SIMS before they are barred permanently by NIMC.

Barred lines can use internet, send SMS

According to the National Communication Commission, there are about 197.77 million active subscribers in Nigeria as of February 2022.

The disconnection did not, however, affect SMS, mobile data and incoming calls, according to a source in one of the telcos who confirmed this in an SMS sent to Legit.ng.

FG finally bars 72 Million Nigerians from making calls

Legit.ng has reported that following a directive from the federal government to telecommunication companies, over 72.77 million active telecommunication subscribers have been barred from making calls on their SIMs.

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Telco operators set to bar outgoing calls from unlinked NIN-SIMs

Recall that the FG had on Monday, April 4, ordered telecommunications companies to enforce compliance with its National Identification Number-Subscriber Identity Module policy.

It asked the companies to restrict all outgoing calls on all unlinked lines as the deadline for the verification expired on March 31.

Source: Legit.ng