Several outlets have reported that, following the Nigerian Communications Commission’s (NCC) deadline on September 14, mobile operators in Nigeria have begun blocking SIM cards that are not linked to National Identification Numbers (NIN). This enforcement reportedly comes after numerous extensions and efforts to encourage compliance with the NIN-SIM linkage policy, which the government has promoted as a measure to enhance national security and streamline the country’s digital identity infrastructure.
As per the reports, many subscribers managed to complete the registration process ahead of the deadline, a significant number of SIM cards remain unlinked, resulting in widespread deactivations. The NCC had previously highlighted the importance of the NIN-SIM linkage for tracking and identifying subscribers, aiming to mitigate issues like fraud and other criminal activities tied to unregistered SIM cards.
