FG directs telcos to bar outgoing calls on unlinked SIMs

The Federal Government (FG) has directed telecommunications companies to bar all outgoing calls on unlinked SIMs that’s yet to be registered and linked with National Identification Number (NIN).

According to a statement from NIMC on Monday, 4/4/2022, Mr President had graciously approved many requests to extend deadlines for NIN-SIM linkage.

The statement which was tagged, ‘NIN-SIM Linkage: Federal Government Commends Compliance and Directs Telcos to Bar Outgoing Calls on Unlinked Lines from 4th April, 2022’.

In the statement, the minister of Communication and Digital economy, Dr ISA Pantami said as of date, over 125 million SIM cards have had their NINs submitted for linkage, verification and authentication while the NIMC has issued over 78 million NINs till date.

Although, the new directives couldn’t be found on the Ministry of Communication and Digital economy social handle, this publication first scooped the development on Bashir Ahmad, the personal assistant in new media to President Muhammad Buhari’s Twitter handle.

His statement read, “JUST IN: The Federal Government has directed telecommunication companies to bar all outgoing calls on unlinked lines (SIMs not yet registered and linked with the National Identification Number (NIN) from TODAY, 4/4/2022, NCC and NIMC, disclosed this in a joint statement, today.”

Read the statement below…