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| Telecom Operators |
The Association of Licensed Telecommunication Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) has clarified that the recent barring of some Nigerian mobile lines is unrelated to the planned protest.
Some Nigerian youths have been organizing a national public protest against bad governance, scheduled to begin on Thursday, August 1, 2024, under the hashtag #EndBadGovernance.
Over the weekend, many telecom users found their mobile lines barred, leading to speculation on social media that the action was intended to stifle the planned protest.
However, in a joint statement on Monday, ALTON denied any connection between the barring of mobile lines and the protest.
“The attention of the Association of Licensed Telecommunication Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) has been drawn to some online reports linking the ongoing subscriber line barring exercise with the planned national protest.
“There’s absolutely no connection between the two. The NIN/SIM link registration deadline had been set for July 31, 2024,” stated ALTON chairman, Gbenga Adebayo, and Executive Secretary, Gbolahan Awonuga.
ALTON explained that the harmonization of the SIM Registration database and National Identity Database has been ongoing for several months to improve the integrity of the National SIM registration database.
Customers who had their lines blocked recently are those whose records showed a mismatch between the two databases.
“We advise such customers to contact their service providers through communicated channels for resolution. All operators have put measures in place to ensure that anyone whose line is blocked can unblock it by following some easy steps:
1. Airtel: Dial *121# and input your eleven-digit NIN number. You will receive a confirmation message that your Airtel SIM card has been successfully unbarred.
2. EMTS (9Mobile): Dial *200*8#
3. Glo: Dial *109*Your NIN number# (e.g., *109*12345678901#) and follow the prompts to submit your NIN for linkage.
4. MTN: Visit nin.mtn.ng to check the NIN status and, if not linked, proceed to link it. During the process, an OTP will be requested, as well as the NIN. After giving consent and submitting the NIN linking request, the line will be automatically unbarred.
5. Smile: Send your valid NIN to customercare@smile.com.ng or call 07020444444. You will be asked to provide consent, and upon successful verification of NIN, the line will be unbarred.
6. Spectranet: Call toll-free line 8002345678 and submit your NIN. You will need to complete your KYC at a Spectranet Store. Alternatively, email care@spectranet.com.ng or visit the Spectranet website to submit your NIN online, but you will still need to complete KYC at a Spectranet Store.
7. Ntel: Visit any Ntel store with your NIN. Your fingerprint will be used to call up your existing KYC profile with Ntel for verification. After receiving consent, the line will be updated and unbarred.
If these online steps fail, subscribers can visit any walk-in centers of operators to unblock their lines.
The telecom association reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the Nigerian government and upholding the rights of citizens.
“As an industry, we respect and commit to protecting the rights of all people to communicate, share information freely and responsibly, and enjoy privacy and security regarding their data and use of digital communications,” the statement concluded.
