By Dipo Olowookere
The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Airtel Nigeria, Mr Segun Ogunsanya, has said the company will adhere strictly to the directive of the federal government to disconnect mobile lines of subscribers who fail to update their registration records with their National Identification Number (NIN).
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) had on Tuesday directed subscribers to link their registration with network operators with the NIN between December 16 and December 30.
According to the telecommunications industry regulator in Nigeria, any subscriber who fails to meet the requirement within the stipulated period would have his line(s) blocked.
On Wednesday, while responding to a question from Business Post at a media parley in Lagos, Mr Ogunsanya said the company will not go against the Nigerian government.
The Airtel Nigeria chief was asked if the new policy will not have a negative impact on the operations of the organisation, considering its contribution to the total revenue of Airtel Africa Plc.
Airtel Africa is listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) and Airtel Nigeria, which is its subsidiary, has always been a driver in the overall business of the group because of the large market in Nigeria.
Shares of Airtel Africa are doing great at the exchange lately, appreciating by 136.2 per cent or N406 per unit year-to-date to N704 per unit as at Wednesday, December 16, 2020.
“We value life above revenue. We will comply strictly to the directive of the government,” Mr Ogunsanya said while speaking on one of the company’s corporate social reasonability (CSR) initiatives, the Airtel Five Days of Love.
He said this year, the company will be focusing on the Internally Displayed Persons (IDPs) camps mostly in the northern part of the country for five days, with gift items shared to the inhabitants.
On the SIM card update, Airtel Nigeria has advised its customers without the NIN to visit the nearest enrolment centre closest to them for one. It also urged them to “dial *346# to retrieve your NIN if you have already registered with NIMC.”
“Please use the link to find the nearest NIN enrolment centre to get a NIN, if you don’t have one https://www3.nimc.gov.ng/nimc-enrolment-centres,” it further said.
