MTN shuts offices nationwide after NIN-SIM outrage

MTN Nigeria has shut all its stores and service centres across Nigeria.

In a terse statement via X on Tuesday morning, MTN Nigeria Support said: “Yello customer, please be informed that our shops nationwide will be closed today, 30th July 2024.”

This  comes after an outrage by some of its subscribers across the country after the network provider barred their lines on Sunday.

In a viral video on Monday, a group of angry subscribers is seen destroying the fence of an MTN office.

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The clip showed the subscribers vandalising the telecommunications company’s office in response to the network blocking subscribers due to a mismatch in their National Identification Number (NIN) and SIM registration.

On Monday, Daily Trust observed that the main office of MTN in Maitama District of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was crowded by Nigerians who wanted to ensure that their lines were reconnected.

The situation was similar in other MTN offices in the FCT and states of the federation as it was perceived to be a move by mobile communication operators to sabotage communication ahead of the national protest starting from August 1.

Following public outcry, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) directed all mobile service operators to reactivate all lines that were disconnected.

NCC, in a statement on Monday, said it took the decision because the consumer is its priority.

The statement said: “Over the weekend, many telecom subscribers/consumers were unable to access their phone lines because of the inability of many telecom consumers to verify their National Identification Numbers (NINs) with their Subscriber Identification Modules (SIMs). This meant that their numbers were blocked by their telecom service providers in keeping with laws and policies of the NIN-SIM linkage

“Since December 2023, the commission has since reviewed the deadline a few times; April 15, 2024 was set as the deadline for the full network barring of subscribers with four or fewer SIMs that had unverified NIN details. This deadline was then reviewed to July 31, 2024, to give consumers more time to ensure their submitted NIN details are properly verified. Despite these extensions, many phone lines are yet to be linked with verified NINS.

“The objectives of this exercise by the Federal Government of Nigeria include enhancing national security and ensuring the national SIM ownership database is accurate. The NIN-SIM linkage policy aids in verifying and protecting users’ identities while also providing a critical infrastructure that assures access to the benefits of a robust digital economy for the citizenry.

“The consumer is our priority, therefore, considering the challenges the blockages have caused, the commission has directed all operators to reactivate all lines that were disconnected over the weekend in view of the short time available for consumers to undertake the verification of their NINs with their SIMs. Reactivated consumers are to note that this is for a limited period to allow them to properly link their NIN to their SIM.”