MTN Nigeria has temporarily closed all its stores and service centers across the country.
The company announced the closure via a brief statement on X, stating: “Yello customer, please be informed that our shops nationwide will be closed today, 30th July 2024.”
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The closure follows widespread backlash from subscribers who faced service disruptions after MTN blocked their lines on Sunday due to discrepancies between their National Identification Number (NIN) and SIM registration details.
A viral video from Monday depicted enraged subscribers vandalizing an MTN office, with footage showing damage to the company’s premises.
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The protests erupted in response to the network’s enforcement of the NIN-SIM linkage policy, which led to a significant number of lines being disconnected.
The MTN office in Maitama District, Abuja, and other locations nationwide saw large crowds of people trying to have their lines reactivated, amid speculation that the timing of the disconnections was an attempt to hinder communications ahead of the national protest scheduled for August 1.
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In response to the outcry, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) intervened, instructing all mobile operators to restore service to the disconnected lines.
The NCC’s decision, detailed in a statement, emphasized the commission’s commitment to consumer welfare.
The statement explained that the NIN-SIM linkage policy, aimed at improving national security and maintaining an accurate SIM ownership database, has been implemented with several deadline extensions.
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Despite the new deadline of July 31, 2024, many users still had not completed the verification process.
The NCC acknowledged the disruption caused and directed operators to reactivate all disconnected lines temporarily.
This measure is intended to provide users with additional time to complete their NIN-SIM linkage.
The commission reiterated that the policy is designed to enhance national security and support a robust digital economy, while emphasizing that reactivation is a temporary measure to address the verification challenges faced by consumers.
