Consumers lament alleged refusal of telecos to reactivate disconnected lines despite NCC’s directives

By Chioma Obinagwam

Consumers of telecommunications operators (telcos) have complained about the alleged refusal of telcos to reactivate their lines despite an order by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to all telcos in the country to reactivate disconnected lines of customers to enable them participate in the verification of their National Identification Numbers (NIN) with their SIMs within the shortest period available to them.

Confiance News gathered from the official X handle of the Commission recently.

Confiance News also recalls that NCC posted a press statement on its X handle on July 29, ordering telcos to reactivate consumers’ lines;
“The Commission has directed all operators to reactivate all lines that were disconnected over the weekend in view of the short time available for consumers to undertake the verification of their NINs with their SIMs.

“The objectives of this exercise by the Federal Government of Nigeria include enhancing national security and ensuring the national SIM ownership database is accurate,” NCC stated.

Reacting to the post, some X users remarked that most telcos are recalcitrant to the directive of the NCC as most consumers lines still remain barred.

Ota Eda said: “Apparently @airtel_care is daring you as they’ve refused to reconnect many lines inspite of @NgComCommission directive. I even went to @AirtelNigeria shop to update my NIN, yet my line is still barred from receiving calls. @ConsumersNCC.”

Grace_seedling, seems to digress from the topic,”Can’t we have unlimited data plan in Nigeria as we do have in other climes that are serious about growing their economy through ICT? Many youths want to explore and be empowered but the exorbitant cost of data plan is 1 of d major problems.”

“Even with the directive made by @NgComCommission, @AirtelNigeria still blocked my number, please reactivate our lines.
And @nimc_ng should please be more proactive with their system. All I get @nimc_ng offices for months now is “server down” for capturing,” Dare lamented.

Emmanuel Odunsi added: “Also make TELECOM Companies update their database properly, because most of the barred lines have been initially linked to NIN.”