Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Mr Gbenga Adebayo says over 40 million lines may have been barred by telecommunication operators.
This was coming with the expiration of the February 28 deadline given for users to link their Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) with National Identity Numbers (NINs).
Mr Adebayo who disclosed this on Sunday in Lagos said it is the first phase of such disconnections.
“I can also tell you that over 40 million lines have been blocked, and the affected customers are those who didn’t submit their NIN at all.”
“Over 40 million is what is safe to say,” he added. Adebayo highlighted that these subscribers did not submit their NINs to operators.
“The NCC asked telecom operators, in December 2023, to implement a complete network barring all SIMs that did not have submitted NINs.
“The regulator asked telcos to bar SIMs that have not submitted their NINs by 28 February 2024, in the first phase of disconnections.”
