Business
Blocked Lines Hit 40m Over NIN-SIM Linkage
At least 40 million telephone-lines were barred by telecommunication operators over the weekend following the expiration of the February 28, 2024 deadline issued by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) mandating telecom consumers to link the Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) to their National Identity Numbers (NIMs).
This represents a 28 million increase from the 12 million telephone lines initially planned to be deactivated by telcos, following the NCC directive.
In a December 2023 notice, the NCC had asked telcos to bar SIMs that had not been linked to their owners’ NINs by February 28, 2024.
On Thursday, the NCC Director of Public Affairs, Reuben Mouka, ruled out an extension of the deadline, warning that telcos that failed to enforce the deadline would be sanctioned.
The Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Gbenga Adebayo, then disclosed to newsmen that telcos would bar 12 million lines as a result of the directive.
However, on Sunday, the ALTON Chairman revealed that the number of barred lines had risen to 40 million, noting that SIMs without NIN were included in the number.
“I can tell you that over 40 million lines have been blocked and the affected customers are those who didn’t submit their NIN at all. Some persons have not presented any NIN to operators.
“They haven’t registered their SIMs or participated in the harmonisation programme. They simply haven’t made any presentation of the NIN number to their operators and those were the persons blocked.
“So, why is the number so alarming despite repeated warnings? It shows many people still communicate but are not registered”, he said.
In the December 2023 notice, the NCC had also asked the Global Satellite Mobile Communications operators to bar SIM holders whose NINs have been submitted but not verified by March 29, 2024, and interdict those who have less than five lines linked to an unverified NIN by April 15, 2024.
The Federal Government had, on December 16, 2020, introduced the SIM-NIN synchronisation initiative meant to enable security agencies to track criminals.
The synchronisation involves validating the NIN with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and matching the subscribers’ NIN records with the SIM registration information (verification) to ensure proper subscriber identification.
However, Nigerians raised questions on why security agencies have not used the SIM-NIN linkage to track criminals, especially bandits and kidnappers, who often use mobile telephone lines to speak with victims’ families during ransom negotiations.
Presently, there are 224.7 million active mobile telephone lines in the country, according to the information released by the NCC on its website.
On Sunday, the ALTON Chairman did not give the breakdown of subscribers or SIMs that were deactivated by telcos over the weekend.
He said, “No, we currently don’t have the breakdown of disconnected lines per network right now, but I know over 40 million lines have been deactivated”.
Adebayo further hinted that another series of disconnections would be implemented by the end of the month and mid April.
“The second tier of disconnections that will happen are those who have provided NIN but have more than five Mobile Subscription Identification Numbers associated with their NIN, and these have not been verified.
“This is because some have differences in the order of their names, and some have differences in their date of birth. The information provided to the operator when they did the SIM registration is different from what they provided (to NIMC) when they did their NIN.
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and other stakeholders have charted path to improved organic agriculture practices nationwide.
At a 2024 national organic and agroecology business summit held recently in Abuja, stakeholders took turn to speak on the additional areas of promoting the practices.
The Mandate Secretary, FCT Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat (ARDS), Lawan Geidam, advocated for sustainable practice to develop resilient food systems that will benefit people.
The event, with the theme,”Towards Policies for Upscaling Organic Agroecological Businesses in Nigeria”, is aimed at fostering growth in the organic agriculture sector.
Geidam, who was represented by the Acting Director, Agric Services, in the Secretariat, Mr. Ofili Bennett, emphasised the success of organic and agroecological farming, reling on the active involvement of farmers, businesses and consumers.
He reassured attendees that the FCT Administration, led by the Minister, Nyesom Wike, and Minister of State, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, remains dedicated to supporting initiatives that enhance the livelihood of residents.
Geidam described the partnership between the Secretariat and the organic and Agroecology initiative for a monthly exhibition and sale of organic products in the FCTA premises as a testament to this commitment.
“The ARDS remains committed to driving policies and initiatives that align with national goals and global standards”, Geidam said.
On her part, the Chairperson of Organic and Agroecology Initiative, Mrs. Janet Igho, urged residents to embrace healthy eating habits to sustain a good lifestyle. She stressed the importance of adopting organic practices, highlighting the benefits of going organic, growing organic and consuming organic products.
Igho expressed her optimism regarding the Agricultural Revival Programmes as articulated in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope Agenda”, which aims at fostering food and nutrition security.
She also extended her gratitude to ARDS for graciously allocating a space in the FCTA premises for the exhibition and sale of organic products, noting that the platform has been effectively used to advance the promotion of organic agriculture in FCT.
Igho outlined several benefits of organic agriculture which includes improved soil health, increased biodiversity, availability nutritious and healthy food and a reduced carbon footprint.
Stakeholders at the summit, underscored the critical need for enhanced private sector involvement and robust capacity building initiatives for farmers.
They highlighted the importance of implementing supportive policies to foster the growth of the organic agriculture sector.
In the light of the significant challenges facing Nigeria’s agricultural landscape, stakeholders decided that organic agricultural practices present sustainable solutions and a pathway for a more resilient and productive farming systems.
The three-day summit featured exhibitions showcasing organic foods, fruits, vegetables and fertilizers, providing an opportunity for residents to better appreciate the benefits of production and consumption of organic agricultural products.
