Emmanuel OchayiThe Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has shed light on why it barred SIM cards despite being liked to National Identity Numbers (NINs) of subscribers.
The Commission attributed the action to the nefarious activities of third-party agents duplicating NINs on Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards.
The revelation emerged during a media briefing in Lagos, where NCC Director of Compliance, Mr Efosa Idehen, clarified the situation.
READ ALSO: MTN, Airtel, Others To Bar Sim Not Linked To NIN By February 2024
“On the issue of already registered SIMs and NIN, the issue is that some of those SIMs were registered with duplicated NINs. When an audit of the system is carried out, actual owners of the NINs reclaim them,” Idehen stated.
He further explained that the problem stemmed from individuals registering SIMs and attempting to link them with NINs, but the agents responsible for these registrations often engaged in damaging activities.
Idehen emphasized the Commission’s commitment to establishing a system where SIM ownership is unquestionably tied to the rightful owners.
Aiming to bolster the integrity of mobile numbers, Aminu Maida, the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, highlighted the need to protect against fraud. He announced plans to roll out consequences to deter fraudulent activities involving mobile numbers.
Maida stated: “We want to create more awareness about this so that people can understand that there is a window during which if they do not use their line, it can be allocated to another person.”
Additionally, the NCC is set to introduce regulations imposing consequences for mobile-related fraud. However, a telecom expert pointed out that telcos currently face no obligation to inform subscribers when recycling unused lines, citing the law’s recognition of SIM card recycling.
As the NCC takes strides to rectify the situation and safeguard mobile number integrity, the looming regulations aim to instill accountability in the use of mobile numbers, particularly in the face of fraud.
