NEWS
NIN-SIM linkage: Subscribers Complain of Barred phone Lines
Some telecommunications subscribers on Wednesday expressed displeasure over the barring of their lines by telcos, despite having linked their National Identification Number (NIN) with their SIM cards.
The subscribers expressed their displeasure in separate interviews in Lagos.
Reports says that telecommunications (Telcos) operators in Nigeria, including MTN, Airtel, and Globacom among others, had been directed by their regulatory body, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to implement full network barring on all phone lines for which subscribers had not submitted their NINs and those without verified NINs by February 28, 2024.
The NCC said further that NINs that had been submitted but not verified, such lines were to be barred on or before March 29, 2024, same as in cases where five or more lines are linked to an unverified NIN.
Similarly, where less than five lines are linked to an unverified NIN, such lines are to be barred on or before April 15, 2024.
In a visit by NAN in Lagos on Tuesday evening to some of the telcos customer service centres, there were subscribers complaining about barred lines at all the telcos outlets, but more at the MTN outlets.
The subscribers were displeased that their lines had been barred from making calls even before the Feb. 28 deadline.
Some of them insisted that they had already linked their NINs to their SIM cards as directed by the NCC, so were surprised that their lines were still barred.
A Businessman, Mr Marcel Okoh, said that a message was sent to his MTN line at the weekend which he did not take serious, because he had done his NIN-SIM linkage.
Okoh said that two days after the message was sent, he noticed that his SIM had been disconnected and could no longer recharge or make calls with his phone.
“The disconnection is uncalled for because I have done the needful and I should have been given time to make enquiries.
Similarly, a Fashion Designer, Aisha Alao, who also uses an MTN line, said that she was disconnected by the telco without any notice.
Alao said that it was when she got to one of the MTN outlets that the agents explained to her that she needed to do a NIN-SIM linkage.
Also speaking newsmen, a Retired Teacher, Mrs Veronica Maduabunechukwu, said that a disconnection notice was sent to her by Airtel, despite having done her NIN-SIM linkage.
“The line has not been disconnected and I see no reason why it should be barred.
Another MTN subscriber, Mrs Chinenye Agbanusi, said that she had done her NIN-SIM linkage as far back as 2020.
Agbanusi said that she was not pleased with MTN for barring her line after following due process.
She added that the telco should upgrade its systems, to avoid recurring issues of barring customers that had already done the needful.
A Globacom subscriber, Miss Kanyinsola Oje, said that a notice to link her SIM to NIN to avoid disconnection was also sent to her.
She noted that some days after the notice, her line was barred.
However, during the survey, Miss Nkechi, an Agent in one of the Airtel outlets in Ketu, said that subscribers had been coming to the centre to make complaints about their SIM being disconnected.
Similarly, Olumide, a Globacom Agent in Ketu, also confirmed that subscribers had been coming to the outlet to make complaints about their lines being barred since December 2023.
According to him, most of the subscribers insisted that they had done the NIN-SIM linkage before, but were currently having issues.
Olumide said: “the reason for the disconnection could be that the name the subscriber used in registering for their NIN is different from what they used to register their SIM.
“Another issue could be that the line was reassigned to another subscriber, so the name on the SIM could still be the name of the previous owner.
Reacting to the subscribers’ complaints, Mr Funsho Aina, the Senior Manager, External relations, MTN, said that most of the lines that were barred was because no data were found on the lines.
Aina said that it was possible that these subscribers had done the NIN-SIM linkage, but the data filed for NIN might not be the same as what they registered for their SIM.
He said that a discrepancy in data filed for NIN and for SIM could affect its collation.
“Take for instance, I register my SIM with Funsho, and in registering for the NIN I use Olufunsho, which is also my name.
“Even if I do the NIN-SIM linkage, in collating by the telco, the technology might not be able to link the names to one person and the line would be disconnected until the discrepancy is corrected,” he said.
Aina, however, said in order to correct such discrepancies and be reconnected, there were self-help steps that could be taken.
He urged subscribers to go to the portal: https://nin.mtn.ng/nin, to create a Virtual NIN (VNIN).
“You can also dial *996*3# on your mobile phone.
“Select option three for Virtual NIN, Enter your NIN to proceed, then enter ‘109071’ as your Enterprise ID.
“Or alternatively, dial *346*3*your 11 digit NIN*109071# to create a VNIN, ” Aina said.
The MTN official also explained that it seemed as if MTN subscribers were more affected, because MTN had a large number of subscribers than the other telcos. (NAN)
Niger Government has established the state Price Control and Monitoring Board, approved by Gov. Umaru Bago to ensure fair pricing and consumer protection.
Alh. Abubakar Usman, Secretary to the Niger Government (SSG), inaugurated members of the board on Thursday in Minna.
The eight-member board has Alh.
Hussaini Ahmed, a former Permanent Secretary as the chairman.Usman noted that the inauguration of the board marked a significant step in the state’s commitment to ensuring fair pricing and consumer protection.
He said that the board was expected to control and stabilise prices of essential commodities and eradicate or reduce to the barest minimum, hoarding of essential commodities across the state.
He said that board would also handle issues that may arise as a result of enforcement and penalty for contravention of guidelines among several others.
“The board will be responsible for the distribution, monitoring and evaluation of essential commodities and keep price under continuous surveillance.
“They will also interpret price movement and relate them to other development in the State’s economy,” Usman said.
He said the board was expected to interface with relevant stakeholders such as local government chairmen, traditional institutions and councilors and well as market organisations to ensure the success of their mandate.
The SSG enjoined members of board to bring their wealth of experience and expertise in economics, consumer affairs and market dynamics to bear in their assignment.
He said that their appointment underscored the government’s dedication to maintaining economic stability and safeguarding the interests of both consumers and businesses in the state.
In his remarks, the board chairman, Ahmed, assured that the board would interface with relevant stakeholders within and outside the state in order to bring succour to the populace.
Other members of the board include Hamza Bello, Permanent Secretary, Investment, Aliyu Abubakar, Permanent Secretary, Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs and Garba Abdullahi, from Ministry of Basic Education.
Also on the board are Adamu Maikasuwa, Ministry of Agriculture, DCP Aminu Garba, Nigeria Police, Niger Command, Aminu Ladan, Chairman, Chanchaga Local Government Area and Usman Liman, retired Statistician-General as Secretary of the Board. (NAN)
The Federal Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC), has shared N1.298 trillion among the Federal Government, states, and the Local Government Councils (LGCs) for September.
This is according to a communique issued at the end of FAAC meeting for October held on Thursday in Abuja.
The communiqué was made available to newsmen by Bawa Mokwa, the Director, Press and Public Relations, Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation (OAGF).
According to the communiqué, N1.
298 trillion total distributable revenue comprised distributable statutory revenue of N124.716 billion, and distributable Value Added Tax (VAT) revenue of N543.518 billion.It also comprised Electronic Money Transfer Levy (EMTL) revenue of N18.
445 billion, Exchange Difference revenue of N462.191 billion and Augmentation of N150.000 billion.It said that a total revenue of N2.258 trillion was available in the month of September.
“Total deduction for cost of collection was N80.993 billion, while total transfers, interventions and refunds was N878.946 billion,” it said.
According to the communiqué, gross statutory revenue of N1.043 trillion was received in September 2024, which was lower than the sum of N1.221 trillion received in August by N177.426 billion.
It said that gross revenue of N583.675 billion was available from VAT in September, higher than the N573.341 billion available in the month of August by N10.334 billion.
“From the N1.298 trillion total distributable revenue, the Federal Government received a total sum of N424.867 billion, and the state governments received a total sum of N453.724 billion.
“The LGCs received a total sum of N329.864 billion and a total sum of N90.415 billion (13 per cent of mineral revenue) was shared to the benefiting states as derivation revenue,” it said.
On the N124.716 billion statutory revenue, the communiqué said that the Federal Government received N43.037 billion and the state governments received N21.829 billion, while the LGCs received N16.829 billion.
It said that the sum of N43.021 billion (13 per cent of mineral revenue) was shared to the benefiting states as derivation revenue.
“From the N543.518 billion VAT revenue, the Federal Government received N81.528 billion, the state governments received N271.759 billion and the LGCs received N190.231 billion,” it said.
It said that in September, Oil and Gas Royalty, Excise Duty, EMTL and CET Levies increased considerably while VAT and Import Duty increased marginally.
It added that Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT), Companies Income Tax (CIT) and others recorded significant decreases. (NAN)
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has reiterated the importance of strict adherence to traffic laws, emphasising the prohibition of commercial motorcycles on highways and other restricted routes.
Mr Olalekan Bakare-Oki, the General Manager, said this in a statement on Thursday, signed by Mr Taofiq Adebayo, Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department, LASTMA.
Bakare-Oki said that non-compliance with the regulations not only jeopardised the safety of the riders but also endangered the lives of other road users.
The statement came following the death of a motorcycle rider going against traffic on Carter Bridge, due to a collision with a fast-moving vehicle.
Bakare-Oki noted that the deceased, reportedly traveling from Ebute Ero, collided head-on with a fast-moving vehicle as it ascended Carter Bridge from Ilubirin.
“The forceful impact of the collision led to the immediate death of the motorcyclist while the vehicle driver ran away.
“Personnel from the LASTMA promptly arrived at the scene of the accident and swiftly alerted officers from the Central Police Station at Adeniji Adele and Shemo.
“Together, they coordinated efforts to retrieve the lifeless body of the rider, while LASTMA officials handed over the motorcycle to security authorities for further investigation,” he said.
The LASTMA boss extended his heartfelt sympathy to the family of the deceased.
“LASTMA remains committed to upholding public safety and is intensifying its efforts to minimise the occurrence of such tragic incidents on Lagos roads,” he said. (NAN)
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