The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has ordered MTN, Glo, Airtel, 9mobile and other operators who barred some of their subscribers to reactivate the lines with immediate effect.

Over the weekend, many telecom subscribers/consumers were unable to access their phone lines.

However, the operators later ascribed the development to the inability of many telecom consumers to verify their National Identification Numbers (NINs) with their Subscriber Identification Modules (SIMs).

The compulsory linkage of NIN with SIM began in December 2020 when the government directed telecommunication companies to bar unregistered SIM cards and SIMs that were not linked to NIN.

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.

The deadline was subsequently reviewed to July 31, 2024, to give consumers more time to ensure their submitted NIN details were properly verified.

Despite these extensions, many phone lines did not get linked with verified NINs.

In a statement on Monday, NCC said the objective of NIN-SIM linkage include enhancing of national security and ensuring the national SIM ownership database is accurate.

But NCC said consumers remain the priority, adding: “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.”

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Telecommunications companies in Nigeria, including Glo, MTN, Airtel, and 9Mobile, are urging the federal government to facilitate discussions on pricing adjustments within the industry.

In a joint statement by the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) and the Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), the telcos emphasized that the current pricing mechanism is not aligned with economic realities.

According to Mr. Gbenga Adebayo, Chairman of ALTON, and Mr. Tony Emoekpere, President of ATCON, the telecommunications giants are facing sustainability challenges due to their reluctance to review prices over the past 11 years.

They attribute this stagnation to regulatory constraints, despite economic hardships.

The telcos argue that, as a fully liberalized and deregulated sector, the current price controls threaten both industry sustainability and investor confidence.

They emphasize the need for a dialogue with government stakeholders to establish a pricing framework that balances consumer affordability with operator viability.

Additionally, the telcos expressed concerns about security challenges affecting service productivity.

They called for urgent government action to safeguard telecom infrastructure from vandalism and sabotage, emphasizing its crucial role in national security and socioeconomic growth.

As the industry seeks substantial investments in network expansion, maintenance, and technology upgrades, the call for tariff adjustments underscores the complex landscape of Nigeria’s telecommunications sector amid economic uncertainties and security threats

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The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has reiterated its directive to telecom operators to bar telephone subscribers not linked to their National Identification Numbers on or before February 28, 2024.

The Executive Vice Chairman, National Communication Commission, Dr Aminu Maida, spoke at the NCC’s Special Day during the ongoing 45th Kaduna International Trade Fair on Wednesday.

Maida represented by Mr Reuben Mouka, NCC’s Director of Public Affairs, insisted that as a matter of critical national security, telecom consumers must link their NIN to their SIM.

He reaffirmed that the February 28th deadline given to telecom operators to bar subscribers who failed to link their NIN to SIM, stands.

“To this end, the National Communication Commission has directed all telecommunication operators to bar phone lines of subscribers whose lines are not linked to their NINs on or before February 28, 2024,” he added.

This, the executive vice chairman said, was apt as the theme resonated with the principles and objectives of the commission in promoting local content development in the telecom industry.

Maida also said the NCC was committed to protecting consumers’ rights while ensuring their satisfaction and noting that the commission has created a universally acceptable environment to access “affordable and equitable service and supports the nation’s economic growth.”

“As a regulator of the telecommunications sector in the country, the Commission carries out its functions to ensure service availability, affordability, and sustainability for all categories of consumers, who are leveraging on ICT/Telecoms to drive personal and business activities,” he said.

For instance, he continued that the Telecom Consumer Assistance, Resolution and Enquiries (TELCARE) Desk at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja The TELCARE desk was set up to further provide an additional platform to make enquiries on customer issues, receive and facilitate the resolution of telecom consumer complaints.

He explained that by “working together, we can create a more vibrant telecommunications industry that contributes significantly to the economic recovery and growth.”

According to him, as of 2023, the telecoms industry’s contribution to the nation’s GDP stood at 13.5% (Source – Nigerian Gross Domestic Product Report November 2023-A publication of the National Bureau of Statistics.

“Conversely, as we promote economic growth through the development of local content, we must also address the challenges faced by consumers and NCC is committed to protecting their rights while ensuring their satisfaction.

The NCC boss, therefore urged telecom firms to prioritize customer satisfaction and uphold the highest standards of service delivery, noting that the commission has implemented measures to safeguard the interests of consumers and businesses alike.

One such measure, he said, was the NCC’s directive on May 17, 2023, that all licensed Mobile Network Operators commence implementation of approved Harmonised Short Codes for providing services to Nigerian telecom consumers.

“The new initiative is enabling consumers using the over 224 million active mobile telephone lines in Nigeria to use the same codes to access services across all networks,” he added.

Meanwhile, the NCC boss disclosed that as of 2023, the telecoms industry’s contribution to the nation’s GDP stood at 13.5 percent, according to the Nigerian Gross Domestic Product Report November 2023 – A publication of the National Bureau of Statistics.

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TECHDIGEST – An internet service provider, Starlink, has slashed the cost of its hardware in Nigeria by 40 percent.

The company had during its launch and pre-order window in 2022 pegged the price of its hardware at N450,000.

The new price, which is down at N274,098, was first spotted on the company’s website under the “place order” on Tuesday.

The slash in price suggests that the feedback from the Nigerian market were well received and considered by the Elon Musk-owned company as many analysts had argued that the price was on the high side for Nigerians.

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The slash in market price might also be a strategy by the company to penetrate the Nigerian market where MTN, Airtel, Glo, 9mobile, Smile and Spectranet, operate.

For internet subscription, Nigerian users can now enjoy unlimited internet service for less than N20,000 monthly with the new plan pegged at N19,260.

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