Telcos say latest SIM barring has no connection with planned August 1 protest 

The Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) has debunked the rumours that the latest barring of SIMs by network operators was an attempt to frustrate the planned protest billed to start August 1.  

The ALTON Chairman, Mr. Gbenga Adebayo, stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday night, noting that it was just coincidental that the barring of lines by telecommunications companies was coming at a time some Nigerians were preparing for a protest. 

Over the weekend, many subscribers have had their lines barred by their telcos, even after doing the NIN-SIM linkage. This came as some youth groups are planning a nationwide protest from Aug. 1 to Aug. 10, to demand solutions to the rising cost of living and economic hardship in the country. 

Nairametrics gathered that the latest SIM-barring exercise is in line with the directive issued by the Nigerian Communications (NCC) in December last year, ordering telcos to fully bar lines whose linked National Identification Number (NIN) have not been verified by April 15, 2024. The deadline was later extended to July 31, 2024, which is two days away. 

What ALTON is saying 

Reacting to the rumours spreading on social media that the telecom operators were trying to frustrate the planned protest through the barring of millions of mobile lines, Adebayo said:  

“I have received inquiries about this issue. No organisation or association is barring lines because of the proposed protest. 

“It is coincidental that the barring of lines is coming at a time a protest is being planned. We have no hand at all in what is going on about the protest. 

“Telecommunications companies are service providers and provide service on non-discriminatory. Our hands are clean. Go to your network service provider and your issue will be addressed.” 

The ALTON chairman explained that the barring of lines had to do with the NIN verification. Adebayo stressed that its members were obliged to provide uninterrupted service to everybody on a non-discriminatory basis. 

Subscriber group reacts 

Also reacting to the issue, Mr Adeolu Ogunbanjo, the National President, National Association of Telecoms Subscribers, said that the barring of lines was not done to frustrate anybody or group. 

Ogunbanjo said that there was a recent announcement on the issue but many subscribers did not take heed to it. 

“The number of NIN that is not properly done is alarming, and when you ask the affected persons, they will say I went to a kiosk somewhere or something similar to do my NIN registration. 

“Many do not use their real names, some go to fake centres to do their NIN registration. The bottom line is that proper registration was not done. I implore everybody to do the needful and go to recognised NIN centres,” he said. 

 What you should know 

In December 2023, the NCC directed all telecommunications operators in to undertake full network barring of all SIMs that have failed to submit their National Identity Numbers (NIN) on or before 28 February 2024.   

Likewise, customers that have submitted their NINs, but remain unverified were to be barred on 15 April 2024. This deadline was, however, shifted to July 31, 2024.  

Furthermore, guidelines were issued whereby no customer can have more than 4 active SIMs and all such excess SIMs must be barred by 29 March 2024.   

This directive is part of the ongoing Federal Government NIN-SIM harmonization exercise requiring all subscribers to provide valid NIN information to update SIM registration records.