Telecom Operators Bar Subscribers Over NIN-SIM Linking; MTN Provides Steps to Unbar Lines
Telecommunication operators in Nigeria, including MTN, Globacom, Airtel, and 9mobile, have reportedly barred subscribers’ lines due to the failure to link their National Identification Number (NIN) to their Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards.... CLICK TO READ THE FULL NEWS HERE▶▶
Uproar Over Disconnections
Many Nigerians took to social media on Sunday, July 28, to express their frustration, especially targeting MTN and Airtel. In response to the uproar, MTN released simple steps to help subscribers unbar their lines.
Political Reaction
Omoyele Sowore, the 2023 presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), suggested that the disconnections were related to an upcoming nationwide protest on August 1. However, Bashir Ahmad, a former media aide to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, clarified that a senior government official denied any connection between the barring of lines and the planned protest.
NCC Deadline and Steps to Unbar MTN Lines
BusinessDay reported that telecom firms began barring phone lines not linked to a NIN ahead of the Nigerian Communications Commission’s (NCC) July 31, 2024, deadline.
To unbar MTN lines, subscribers can visit ninlinking.mtn.ng 24 hours after dialing 996NIN# on the affected line. If the line has already been linked to a NIN, it can be unbarred quickly. For those who have not linked their lines, the website provides assistance for both linking and unbarring.
MTN tweeted additional support information: “Unblock your line anytime, anywhere! Here are easy steps you can take. Get started at nin.mtn.ng. Need additional support from our stores? We are open 7 days a week.”
In another report by Legit.ng, a lady installed Elon Musk’s Starlink, a satellite internet system, in her house and praised its high-speed performance, achieving a rate of 100 Mbps.
