Nigerians are protesting outside MTN offices due to widespread disconnections of phone lines over NIN linkage issues. A nationwide outage has been reported following the Nigerian Communications Commission's deadline extension. Many subscribers, including those with valid NIN links, face unexpected service interruptions.
In a dramatic escalation of frustration, large crowds have besieged MTN Nigeria offices across the country, triggered by a sudden and widespread disconnection of phone lines. The turmoil erupted on Sunday, July 28, 2024, when many Nigerians took to social media to voice their discontent over being unable to make or receive calls on their MTN lines.
The disconnections, which also impacted subscribers of 9mobile, are linked to nationwide enforcement of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) mandate requiring all phone lines to be linked with National Identification Numbers (NINs). This policy, initially set with a deadline of April 15, 2024, was extended to July 31, 2024. However, the last-minute enforcement has led to widespread confusion and anger, as many affected subscribers claim they have already complied with the linkage requirements.
The unrest has manifested in massive demonstrations outside MTN offices in major cities including Abuja, Lagos, Kano, and Ibadan. Protestors are demanding immediate restoration of their service, and the situation has been exacerbated by a planned nationwide protest scheduled for August 1, 2024.
The NCC had previously announced that approximately 45 million subscribers would be at risk of disconnection for failing to link their SIM cards to their NINs. Despite this, many individuals report that their lines have been barred even though their NINs were properly registered.
MTN has yet to issue a detailed response addressing the service disruptions.
