Over the weekend, telecommunications operators deactivated no fewer than 40 million telephone lines as the deadline set by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) expired on February 28, 2024.
This marks a significant increase from the initially planned 12 million lines to be barred following the NCC directive. In a notice issued in December 2023, the NCC instructed telcos to deactivate SIM cards not linked to National Identity Numbers (NINs) by the specified deadline.
Despite calls for an extension, NCC’s Director of Public Affairs, Reuben Mouka, reiterated that there would be no extension and warned of sanctions for telcos failing to comply with the deadline.
