According to information released by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), approximately 40 million phone lines that have been blocked because their owners have neglected to link their SIM cards to their National Identity Number (NIN) would soon be unable to receive or make calls.
Reuben Mouka, the NCC’s director of public affairs, stated on Tuesday that the impacted lines will only be allowed to text and make calls if nothing is done about them over the next 180 days. However, they won’t be able to make calls after the allotted days.
He said that the commission’s deadline of February 28, 2024, for subscribers to link their Subscriber Identity Modules (SIMs) with their National Identity Number (NIN) had been broken by their telecommunication providers’ termination of phone lines.
Mouka said, “If the barred lines are not acted upon in the next 180 days. They won’t be able to receive calls but will only be able to text and make calls. But after the stipulated days, they would be barred from making calls too and they might forfeit their lines to their respective service provider within 365 days.”
provides information on how to reactivate your phone lines, as provided by the Director of Publicity at the NCC.
To streamline the process of integrating your SIM card with your National Identity Number (NIN), follow these updated steps tailored for various subscriber needs:
1. Unregistered Subscribers: If you haven’t registered your NIN yet, start by getting your SIM registered at any recognized centers nationwide.
2. Linking NIN to SIM: Once your NIN is secured, link it to your SIM using the methods provided by your mobile network operator.
3. Existing NIN Holders: If you already have a registered NIN, simply visit a center of your mobile network operator with your NIN for assistance, or use the operator’s designated channels for SIM linkage.
4. Forgotten NIN Retrieval: Should you forget your NIN, easily retrieve it by dialing *346# from your mobile phone. Ensure you use the phone number initially associated with your NIN registration. After dialing, select “NIN Retrieval” by entering ‘1’. Then, follow the on-screen instructions carefully.
5. Service Fee: Note that retrieving your NIN via mobile phone incurs a nominal fee of N20, which is deducted from your airtime balance.
6. Network-Specific USSD Codes for NIN Linkage:
– MTN Users: Dial *785# or *785*YourNIN# from the phone you intend to link. Your NIN will automatically be linked to your phone number.
– Glo Users: Text “UPDATENIN [Your NIN] [Your First Name] [Your Last Name]” to 109.
– Airtel Users: To link, simply dial *121*1#.
– 9Mobile Users: For linkage, dial *200*8# and follow the prompts.
By ensuring a simple and easy method for subscribers to meet NIN registration and linking requirements, these procedures improve identity verification and security nationwide.
