Di Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) don order say make telecommunication providers reactivate all di phone lines wey dem block sake of NIN-SIM verification.
NCC issue dis order on Monday 29 July 2024 afta plenti Nigerians bin dey bared by dia network providers on Sunday wey make dem no fit make or receive calls.
Di commission direct say make operators reactive di were wey dey disconnected soem customers wey dey affected go still fit do di verification of dia NIN and Sims.
Wetin happun to sim cards of Nigerians
Plenti Nigerians don comot to complain how dia network service providers bin block dia sim cards and dem no fit make or receive calls for dia wit dia phone number.
Di mata begin dey happun since around Thursday 25 July 2024 wen some Nigerians begin see say dem no fit use dia phone number make any call or even recharge dia lines.
BBC Pidgin monitor how dos wey dey affected bin storm di office of some telecommunication providers to begin cause drama sake of di blockage.
For Lagos, subscribers of MTN, GLO and 9Mobile major mobile phone networks for Nigeria bin storm dia offices to show dia pain and to demand say make dem unbar dia lines.
Some of dem just dey hear say dem neva link dia National Identification Number (NIN) wit dia phone number which some Nigerians say na lie.
Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) don give plenti deadline for Nigerians to do dia NIN-Sim verification but di last one go end for 31 July 2024, but some lines don dey chop bocking already.
Nigerians storm telecom offices to complain
Bifor, di Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) bin give order say make Nigerians wey dey use SIM cards go validate dia registration by linking dia NIN.
NCC first give for telecommunication operators to block all customers wey no gree register dia SIM cards wit dia NIN.
Many Nigerians bin visit telecom centers to link dia NIN and phone numbers but dem come dey shock say different network providers dey block dem.
One Mr Patrick wey follow us tok for Lagos say im bin wake early Monday to come complain about im line wey dem block but for ova four hours di service provider no see anytin do.
“I bin come here make I come lodge complaint about my sim card wey dem block but I shock say plenti oda pipo even get same issue. See how we plenti for here sake of di same issue of sim card”.
E add say “if na my NIN get issue, atleast dem suppose send me message to tell me but dem just block me and I no fit make any transaction wit my line”
Anoda Nigerian wey dey affected by di blockage na one Madam Sandra wey also visit di telecom office for Ikeja, Lagos.
She say she gatz leave her business to come lodge complaint say why dem block her line without notice. Di woman say she no fit make transfer for her phone and her customers too and even when transaction happun, she no dey see alert.
“Wen I reach market wia I go buy sometin wey I go sell on Saturday, I see say my phone dey write no network. I off and on am again but e no work and di tin pain me wey be say dem no gree sell market for me”.
Di woman say she don waste time wey she suppose dey use make money for her bag selling shop and dem no ansa dem for di telecom office wey she go.
Wetin telecom officials tok
For di MTN office wey BBC Pidgin visit for Monday morning, plenti crowd bin gather for di gate trying to enta di compound.
We observe say dem don lock di gate of di office as some pipo dey inside while some dey outside.
for both 9Mobile and Glo office wey dey Ikeja, Lagos– subscribers bin stand for outside waiting for dia line to connect back to network.
Many of dem lament how dem get to leave dia work and business to come dey NIN-Sim linkage wey dem don do bifor.
BBC Pidgin approach some telecom officials for dia offices despite locking dia gates for customers to access. We ask why di phone lines dey blocked without notice and many of dem wey tok no want make dia name dey mentioned.
Di official wey come address pipo for di MTN office say di phone lines go dey unblocked bifor di day ends and dia service dey get some wahala wey dem dey solve.
For anoda telecom office, di official say na pipo wey neva verify dia lines dey affected by di issues and e go dey solved veri soon.
Press Statement
NCC Orders Immediate Reactivation of Lines Affected by NIN-SIM Verification Issues pic.twitter.com/kmDOjAaGlx
— ncc.gov.ng (@NgComCommission) July 29, 2024
How to link your NIN and Sim card
You fit check your National Identification Number NIN just by using USSD code on your phone.
For dos wey don lose dia NIN, di National Identity Management Commission bin ask Nigerians to dial *346# to retrieve dia NIN number.
For linking di NIN to SIM, di different service providers don provide how pesin fit do am.
For MTN, to link your NIN to your Number, information dey dia website.
For GLO, di service provider give instruction to send UpdateNIN (put space) NIN (put space) First name (put space) and Last Name to 109.
While for Airtel, di steps na to dial *121*1#, imput your 11 digit National Identification Number, after which you go receive text message saying e dey successful.
For 9mobile, you go need to visit dia website and follow di steps on how to proceed.
Meanwhile, di Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy don order all network providers to cancel di N20 charge for di retrieval of di NIN wit immediate effect.
E say dis na to make di process dey easier and affordable.
Dis one mean say all Nigeria fit check dia NIN using di *346# for free.
More on this story
- Wetin you need to know about di renewal linkage of BVN and NIN to bank accounts
- See NIMC new update for NIN registration with phone
- Check di new guideline to register for National Identification Number NIN
