By Milcah Tanimu
MTN Nigeria has resumed operations at its offices nationwide following a temporary closure prompted by vandalism related to the NIN-SIM linkage policy.
On Tuesday, MTN offices across the country were shut down after a surge of complaints from subscribers whose lines were blocked due to non-compliance with the NIN-SIM linkage requirements. The shutdown came after some customers, frustrated by the disconnection of their lines, vandalized the company’s offices.
An MTN staff member confirmed on Wednesday that the offices have reopened. “Yes, the connect stores have resumed operations,” the staffer told TheCable.
The issues began on July 27 when customers found their lines blocked due to failure to link their National Identification Numbers (NINs) with their SIM cards. This led to overcrowding at MTN offices as subscribers sought to address the problem.
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) responded to the crisis by instructing telecom operators to temporarily reconnect all blocked lines while urging the public to complete their NIN-SIM verification to avoid further disruptions.
The NIN-SIM linkage policy, initiated in December 2020, mandates that all SIM cards be linked to a National Identification Number. Despite several deadline extensions, full enforcement was set for April 15, 2024, for subscribers with incomplete NIN details.
