Why we introduced same codes for 224 million active mobile lines — NCC

The Nigerian Communications Communication (NCC) has said that it introduced the same codes for the 224 million active mobile lines in the country in order to authenticate and protect the identity of users.

It also said it has directed telecom operators as a matter of national security to bar any mobile line that have not registered with NIN on or before February 28th .

This was disclosed by the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Communication (NCC), Dr Aminu Maida, at the NCC special day during the 45th Kaduna International Trade Fair holding in Kaduna.

Represented by a director, Mr Reuben Mouka, Maida, he noted that, “NCC is an Independent National Regulatory Authority that oversees Telecommunication Services in Nigeria. 

“Our vision at NCC is to create a dynamic regulatory environment that ensures universal access to affordable and equitable service and supports the nation’s economic growth.

“As a regulator of the telecommunications sector in the country, the Commission carries out its functions to ensure service availability, accessibility, affordability, and sustainability for all categories of consumers, who are leveraging ICT/Telecoms to drive personal and business activities,” he said.

He said in 2023, the  telecoms industry contributed  to the nation’s GDP which stood at 13.5%, saying that, “as we promote economic growth through development of local content, we must also address the challenges faced by consumers and NCC is committed to protecting their rights while ensuring their satisfaction.

“We therefore encourage businesses and service providers to prioritize customer satisfaction and uphold the highest standards of service delivery With our keen interest and commitment to consumer protection, the NCC has implemented measures to safeguard the interest of consumers and businesses alike.

“We have established a robust regulatory framework that promotes transparency, quality of service, and fair competition. Additionally, we have set up channels for consumer redress, ensuring that consumers can resolve disputes in a timely and efficient manner.

“The Nigerian Communications Commission(NCC)  had on May 17, 2023, directed all licensed Mobile Network Operators (MNO) to commence implementation of approved Harmonized Short Codes (HSC) for providing services to Nigerian telecom consumers The measure initiated by the Commission is a bid to improve the Quality of Experience (QoE) of consumers across all mobile networks.

“The new initiative is enabling consumers using the over 224 million active mobile telephone lines in Nigeria to use the same codes to access services across all networks. For instance, the same code *310# will be used for checking airtime balance across all the networks.

“Campaign on National Identification Number-Subscriber Identification Module (NIN-SIM) Linkage – NIN-SIM Linkage is a process of connecting your NIN to your phone number to authenticate and protect your identity. To link your NIN to your SIM, a subscriber needs to submit his/her NIN to their respective Service Provider to complete the process of NIN-SIM linkage

“For subscribers who do not have the National Idennfication Number (NIN), they can obtain theirs from National Identification Management Commission (NIMC) Enrolment Centres of Your Service Providers Customer Care Centres, and you need a valid ID Card and BVN for enrollment.

A subscriber can also link his/her NIN to his/her SIM by sending NIN- your 11 digit NIN to 996 or Dial *996*.

To this end, Maida remarked that,”as a matter of National security, Telecom Consumers must link their NIN to the SIM, saying that,” the Commission has directed all telecommunication operators to bar phone lines of subscribers whose lines are not linked to their NINs on or before February 28, 2024.