Adeolu Ogunbanjo, President of the National Association of Telecoms Subscribers (NATCOMS), has called on telecom subscribers to provide accurate information when registering their Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards.
In response to the recent barring of subscribers’ phone lines by telecommunication companies, Ogunbanjo shared this advice during an interview with journalists in Abuja on Monday.
He commended the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) for ordering service providers to reactivate all cell phone lines, while urging subscribers to avoid submitting incorrect information during SIM registration.
Ogunbanjo explained that numerous phone lines have been barred in the past two to three weeks due to mismatches between the details provided during SIM registration and the information linked to the National Identification Number (NIN).
“Subscribers often provide details that do not match their NIN. Many do not give the correct details at registration centers,” Ogunbanjo said. “I have observed this at various centers. Subscribers need to ensure their information matches during SIM registration.”
He also noted that some SIM registration centers use incorrect photos for consumers, leading to discrepancies.
“If your phone line has been barred in the last two to three weeks, it is likely due to a mismatch between the details you provided during SIM registration and the information linked to your NIN,” Ogunbanjo added.
He advised that subscribers visit their service provider’s office in person or use available self-registration portals to unbar their lines. Currently, only MTN and Airtel offer these self-registration portals, allowing subscribers to avoid physical visits and long waits.
The self-registration portals can be accessed at the following links:
- MTN: ninlinking.mtn.ng
- Airtel: airtel.com.ng/nin
Chidi Godwin, an MTN subscriber, praised the NCC for its swift action, expressing relief that he would now have enough time to correctly register his SIM.
The NCC has directed all service providers to immediately reactivate all blocked SIM lines.