NCC Insists On Linkage With NIN For Unblocking SIM Cards, Denies Recruitment Advertisement

The Nigerian Communications Commission says telecoms consumers, whose Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards are barred from making calls will not be unbarred by the service providers until they are linked with the National Identification Numbers (NINs) of the SIM holders.

A statement by the Director of Public Affairs of the Commission Ikechukwu Adinde notes that this information become necessary in view of a viral web link (https://bit.ly/NCC-Sim-Unbar-Gov-Ng) being circulated on social media and on some websites which he described as both misinformation and disinformation designed to mislead the general public to hold the belief that their SIM cards are barred from making calls, due to non-linkage with NIN at the set deadline.

It adds that NCC never issued such statement, directing subscribers or  indicating that subscribers can unbar their SIM without a NIN.

It notes that NCC is the national regulatory authority for telecommunications in Nigeria, co-driving the process of the NIN-SIM linkage with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) as directed by the Federal Government.

The statement added that Commission will not, under any circumstance, act contrary to Federal Government’s directive to MNOs to bar SIMs cards not linked to NINs at the expiration of the last deadline given for the NIN-SIM linkage exercise.

It stated further that affected telecom subscribers can get their SIMs actively connected to make calls by getting their SIM registered at accredited centres across the country and then link the NIN with their SIM cards while subscribers with registered NIN should also link their NIN with their SIMs through channels provided by their service providers.

While reiterating its commitment to the Federal Government’s directive on the NIN-SIM Link to among others, strengthening security situation in the country, assisting in other socio-economic planning activities of the government as well as advancing the course of consumer protection from falling victim to the antics of cyber fraudsters, NCC  informs the general public that it is not recruiting at the moment describing as scam advertisement on social media indicating ongoing recruitment exercise.