NCC gives condition for unblocking barred SIMs, denies recruiting

By Oluwadamilare Emmanuel On Apr 11, 2022

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) on Sunday stated that Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards that have been 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.

NCC made this known in a statement signed by its Director, Public Affairs, Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde and made available to Newsclickng.com.

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According to the NCC, the information became 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.

The Commission said the link and accompanying narrative represent patent misinformation and disinformation certainly designed to mislead the general public about the SIM cards that are barred from making calls, due to non-linkage with NIN at the set deadline.

The statement reads: “The misleading, viral message mischievously displays NCC logo and ostensibly promises members of the public that, by clicking the web link and following further instructions in that regard, subscribers with barred SIM cards can unbar such SIMs across mobile networks without a valid NIN.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the NCC wishes to state categorically that it never issued such statement, directing subscribers or indicating that subscribers can unbar their SIM without a NIN. As such, the originators and peddlers of the spurious message were out to mischievously mislead unsuspecting members of public. Therefore, their message should be disregarded.”

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

It warned that it 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.

On how telecom subscribers can get their SIMs actively connected to make calls, NCC said: “First, for subscribers that have not registered for their NIN, what to do is to get their SIM registered at accredited centres across the country and then link the NIN with their SIM cards through channels provided by their service providers.

“Secondly, for subscribers with registered NINs, what to do is to simply go and link the NIN with their SIMs through channels provided by their service providers.”

The NCC reiterated its commitment to the Federal Government’s directive on the NIN-SIM Linkage to strengthen security situation in the country, among others.

The Commission also stated that it is not recruiting at the moment.

It stated that advertisement indicating there is ongoing recruitment at NCC is a scam and should be disregarded.