NIN-SIM linkage: MTN shuts offices nationwide over vandalism

Telecommunication giant MTN has announced the closure of its offices across the country over vandalism at one of its branches in Lagos State.

The vandalism occurred after a mob destroyed a barricade fence at the MTN office in the FESTAC Town area of Lagos State on Monday, July 29, 2024.

The subscribers stormed the MTN office in protest of the disconnection of their mobile lines by the company.

The lines, it was learnt, were disconnected over the subscribers’ failure to link their National Identification Number (NIN) with their phone numbers.

However, the telecom company, in a statement on Tuesday, July 30, announced the closure of its offices nationwide.

MTN stated: “Yello customer, please be informed that our shops nationwide will be closed today, 30th July 2024.

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“We are available 24/7 to support you via our digital channels.”

The Star had reported that the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) had directed telecommunication companies in the country to “immediately” reactivate all mobile lines disconnected over subscribers’ failure to link their NIN with their phone numbers.

NCC, in a statement issued on Monday by its spokesperson, Reuben Muoka, noted that many telecom subscribers were unable to access their phone lines because of their inability to verify their NINs with their Subscriber Identification Modules (SIMs) over the weekend, saying this meant that their numbers were blocked by their telecom service providers in keeping with laws and policies of the NIN-SIM linkage.

Muoka recalled that the compulsory linkage of NIN with SIM commenced in December 2020 when the government directed telecommunication companies to bar unregistered SIM cards and SIMs that were not linked to NIN.

The Star