The Nigerian Communications (NCC) has said that the directive to telecom service providers to deactivate unregistered Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) cards does not imply permanent withdrawal.
A statement by the commission’s director of public affairs, Mr Tony Ojobo, said that subscribers who register their SIM cards properly will have them reactivated.
The commission ordered the deactivation of unregistered SIM cards after a high tech security meeting with the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Department of State Service (DSS), and operators, citing security as the rationale for the exercise.
The statement reads in part, “This clarification has become necessary following the deluge of enquiries at the commission some of which alluded to the impression that their SIM cards have been withdrawn permanently. This is not the situation.”
It said that operators were specifically told that subscribers whose lines were not registered and who have not made any effort to register them should be informed before deactivation.
“So the deactivation of these SIM cards is in line with that meeting. Subscribers who fail to register properly will have their lines deactivated but those who eventually comply will have them reactivated,” it stated.
