The destiny of numerous telecommunications subscribers hangs in uncertainty after a court ruling prohibited telecom providers from executing a Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) directive that required them to block phone lines lacking National Identity Numbers (NIN) by February 28.
Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa of the Federal High Court in Lagos issued the ruling, restraining telecom operators from deactivating or barring any line or SIM not linked to a NIN. The decision came after a plea by Olukoya Ogungbeje, a lawyer based in Lagos, who filed an application against MTN Nigeria when his SIMs were barred in April 2022. Although the court initially dismissed his suit, Ogungbeje appealed the decision, prompting his request for an injunction pending the appeal, to prevent telcos from barring or deactivating lines on February 28, 2024.
The court granted Ogungbeje’s request, restraining the telecommunications companies until the appeal is heard and determined. This ruling has raised doubts about the NCC’s directive, particularly among MTN and Airtel subscribers, who were expected to face restrictions if their lines were not linked to NINs by the specified dates.
While Reuben Mouka, director of public affairs at NCC, stated that the commission is not directly involved in the case, he acknowledged the impact of court orders on operators’ actions. Sources within MTN and Airtel affirmed their intention to comply with the court order, although some subscribers may still face disconnection.
In response to the impending deadline, telecom subscribers have requested an extension for SIM-NIN linkage, citing ongoing challenges at National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) centers. Adeolu Ogunbanjo, president of the National Association of Telecoms Subscribers, proposed extending the deadline to March 31 to accommodate more people in obtaining their NINs and linking their SIMs.
If the deadline remains unchanged, millions of subscribers could be affected. The NCC’s directive in April 2022 impacted over 72.77 million active mobile subscriptions, with about 125 million lines linked to NINs out of a total of 197.77 million active lines. As of December 2023, the number of unique NINs had increased to over 104 million, while the total active lines rose to 224.41 million.
