The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has issued an immediate order to telecommunication companies to reactivate recently blocked phone lines. Several customers reported observing their lines were blocked over the weekend which mobile communications operators say was due to the customers not linking their lines with their National Identification Numbers (NIN).
This caused many offices of mobile phone operators to be besieged by customers desperate to have their lines unlocked. However, in a statement on Monday, signed by the director, Public Affairs, NCC, Reuben Muoka, the regulatory Commission said consumer is its priority, while directing 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.
“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,” the statement partly read.
The commission also advised customers yet to link their phone numbers with the NIN to do so immediately.
