MTN, Airtel, Glo Set to Block Numbers Without NIN in 2024, Announce Strict Deadlines for Various User Categories

“Nationwide Telecom Blackout Imminent as Nigerians Race Against the Clock for NIN Compliance!

Hold onto your smartphones, Nigeria, as telecom giants like MTN, Airtel, and Globacom prepare to unleash a network lockdown on February 28, 2024, for phone lines lacking National Identification Numbers (NINs). The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has mandated this sweeping measure, affecting a staggering 220.7 million telecom subscribers as of August 2023. With only 98.7 million registrations recorded by April 2023, the impending crackdown is poised to disconnect millions of Nigerians, making it a high-stakes race against time to secure and link their NINs to avoid the impending blackout.

In a startling revelation, MTN Nigeria Communications PLC shared the NCC’s directive on the Nigerian Exchange, outlining a cascading cutoff schedule. Lines without submitted NINs face the initial chopping block on February 28, 2024, followed by those with unverified NINs, especially those with five or more connections, slated for a blackout by March 29, 2024. A glimmer of hope exists for lines with fewer than five connections linked to an unverified NIN, with a slightly extended deadline until April 15, 2024. However, the road to restoration requires affected subscribers to undergo stringent biometric and biodata verification. As the countdown to the telecom blackout intensifies, Nigerians are left with a critical decision – link up or face the inevitable disconnection.”