Nigeria News

NIN-SIM Linkage: Telcos Begin Disconnection Of 66 Million Phone Lines In Nigeria

Published

16 September 2024

10:22 AM

In the suit number FHC/L/CS/711/2022 filed at the Federal High Court in Lagos, SERAP sought an order to set aside the directive by Buhari to telecommunications companies to block outgoing calls on all unlinked lines without due process of law. SERPA joined the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, and his Communications and Digital Economy counterpart, Isa Pantami as respondents in the suit. READ ALSO: SERAP Gives FG 48-Hour Ultimatum To Unblock Millions Of Unregistered SIMs “While Nigerian authorities have a legal responsibility to protect, ensure and secure the rights to life and property, any such responsibility ought to be discharged in conformity with human rights standards,” the suit filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers Kolawole Oluwadare and Opeyemi Owolabi, read in part. “Fundamental rights are regarded as part of human rights and are protected to enhance human dignity and liberty. “Unblocking the phone lines unlawfully barred from making calls would improve respect for the rule of law, and ensure people’s right to freedom of expression, and access to information, as well as their right to associate with others. “The blocking of people from making calls constitutes impermissible restrictions on the rights to freedom of expression, information, and association. “The rights to freedom of opinion and expression and access to information are protected under section 39 of the Nigerian Constitution, article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act. “These rights must be protected online as they are protected offline. Any restriction on these rights must be provided by law, be necessary for a democratic society and serve a legitimate aim. “The blocking of people from making calls on their SIMs also amounts to arbitrary or unlawful interference with their right to family life, and socio-economic rights, as it unnecessarily or disproportionately interferes with these fundamental human rights. “The decision to block the phone lines also appears to be arbitrary and lacks any legal framework, independent and judicial oversight. This may allow authorities to act in an unfettered and potentially arbitrary or unlawful manner. “Under international human rights law, States including Nigeria ‘shall not engage in or condone any disruption of access to digital technologies for segments of the public or an entire population.’ States must refrain from cutting off access to telecommunications services. “Millions of Nigerians including persons with disabilities, elderly citizens, persons living in remote areas have been unable to capture their biometrics, and obtain their NINs due to logistical challenges, administrative and bureaucratic burdens, as well as the persistent collapse of the national grid. “The rights to freedom of expression, access to information, and freedom of association, whether offline or online, promote the democratic ideal by allowing citizens to voice their concerns, challenge governmental institutions, and hold the government accountable for its actions.”

File Photo: Nigerians at NIMC office trying to link their NIN to SIM cards

Telecom companies have begun to cut off around 66 million phone connections nationwide to enforce the directive from the federal government regarding the connection of the National Identification Number (NIN) to the Subscriber Identity Module (SIM).

Naija News reports that this step was taken following numerous extensions and cautions Nigerians to adhere to the policy aimed at enhancing national security and simplifying the identification process.

It’s important to note that as of March 2024, 153 million out of 219 million active mobile lines on networks such as MTN, Glo, Airtel, and 9mobile were already linked to the NIN, as reported by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). This leaves approximately 66 million lines at risk of being disconnected.

Due to the issue of unverified NINs, there were brief interruptions in service across the country between July 28 and 29, causing widespread disruptions.

Financial records from the first half of 2024 indicate that MTN Nigeria and Airtel Africa blocked 13.5 million lines for failing to comply with the NIN-SIM connection rule.

MTN reported blocking 8.6 million lines, while Airtel claimed that 8.7 million of its customers had successfully verified their NINs.

Telecom companies, including MTN, Airtel, Glo, and 9mobile, have advised subscribers at risk of losing their service to connect their NIN to prevent permanent disconnection.

Subscribers whose services have been suspended still can reactivate them by visiting any of the telecom providers’ service centers or NIMC offices to finish the verification process.

The NCC issued the directive in partnership with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) requires all mobile phone users in Nigeria to link their SIM cards to their unique NIN.

This policy, introduced in 2020, was a part of the government’s strategy to reduce insecurity, fraud, and criminal activities enabled by unregistered or improperly registered phone lines.

After several postponements of the deadlines by the NCC since December 2023, the NCC announced in August that it anticipated that no SIM cards would be operational without a confirmed National Identification Number (NIN) by September 15.

A representative from the NCC confirmed the deactivation of lines, explaining that lines not in compliance would be prevented from making calls, sending text messages, or utilizing mobile data until they successfully complete the connection procedure.

“We will disconnect anyone who refuses to comply; the grace period is over. The reason why we extended the last time was the misconception of Nigerians who claimed that the NCC wanted to frustrate the August 1 protest,” the NCC representative told Leadership.

He defended the NIN-SIM linkage as crucial to national security, adding that the policy is intended to create a central database that can be used to track criminal activity, verify identity, and enhance digital financial inclusion.

“Unregistered and unlinked SIMs have been identified as tools frequently used in the perpetration of criminal activities such as kidnapping, terrorism, and financial fraud. The NIN-SIM linkage is an essential step in safeguarding the nation and ensuring the integrity of our telecom infrastructure,” he added.

Naija News reports that despite facing backlash, President Bola Tinubu’s administration has stood firm in its dedication to the policy, stating that those who do not follow it could potentially lose access to essential mobile services.

Recently, the president of the National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers, Adeolu Ogungbanjo, following visits to various telecommunications centers, expressed his dissatisfaction with the NIN-SIM registration process, describing it as terrible.

Ogungbanjo, therefore, pleaded for the NCC to consider pushing back the deadline due to the technological issues encountered during the registration process last week.

“I believe they should consider extending it for a week, and the NCC should be commended for these delays,” he remarked.