Youths’ anger shows up in SIM-NIN validation

…MTN closes stores

On Monday, Nigerians stormed the stores of telecommunication stores after service providers barred lines that were not linked to the National Identification Number (NINs) over the weekend.

This exercise turned violent in some locations, with frustrated subscribers causing damage and threatening to burn stores. As of March 2024, Nigeria had 219.01 million connected lines, 81.79 million of which are on MTN. Many of these MTN subscribers were the most impacted.

Telecom companies acted on a directive by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to disconnect lines not successfully linked with NINs by July 31, 2024.

This issue coincides with planned youth protests on Thursday against worsening economic conditions under the Bola Tinubu administration.

Read also: MTN shuts stores nationwide following SIM-NIN outrage

“Currently at MTN office, Ikeja. I want to assure everyone that with the number of people currently standing here, this protest will start from the MTN office,” Oyiga Micheal tweeted on Monday.

Olúyẹmí Fásípè tweeted, “I hope the protest will not start with MTN.”

Since May 29, 2023, the Tinubu administration has undertaken bold reforms, including removing fuel subsidy and liberalising the foreign exchange market. These actions have led to record-high inflation of 34.19 percent in June 2024, and the country’s currency has plummeted from N769.51/$1 in July 2023 to N1611.40/$ as of July 29, 2024.

With a median age of 17.2 years, according to Worldometer, Nigeria’s purchasing power has sharply declined. The cost of a pot of jollof rice for a family of five has skyrocketed by 396.1 percent, from N4,087 in July 2016 to N20,274 in June 2024.

On Monday, the frustrations boiled over. At the MTN store at Berger, Lagos, customers threatened to break in due to delays. At FESTAC, Lagos, subscribers took matters into their own hands, brought down the gates, and vandalised the MTN store that attended to them.

Benjamin Hundeyin, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, responded to the circulated video on X: “This should not be the way to go. Meanwhile, the DPO FESTAC and his men responded immediately after they got this report. They succeeded in restoring normalcy and are still on the ground to maintain peace.”

In Ibadan, stones were thrown at the MTN store at Idi Ape by angry subscribers, with more damage averted by the plea of a National Youth Corps member.

Read also: SIM-NIN: NCC orders reactivation of all barred lines

“There was one youth corps member who knelt before a raging crowd begging them not to stone the building,” said Funmi Makinde, an Ibadan resident.

MTN Nigeria closed its stores nationwide on Tuesday in response to these attacks. The telco said, “Y’ello customer, please be informed that our shops nationwide will be closed today, July 30th. We are available 24/7 to support you via our digital channels: myMTN NG App, Zigi Chatbot (0903300001), and IVR (dial 300).”

According to sources, the telco may remain closed for the rest of the week due to the planned protests.

The source said, “The way these things work is about the security of our personnel. When we see anything that threatens the safety of our personnel, we pull back. We may not open again this week because the protest day is Thursday.

“Although we have unbarred the SIMs, we don’t want to take that risk. I don’t know for a fact, though. We are trying to preserve our assets.”

Security has increased at MTN centres, with policemen guarding a closed MTN store in Berger. A source in Airtel confirmed that the telco will still be open on Wednesday. The source, however, noted that they are unsure if the stores will be open on Thursday.

On Monday, telcos released a guide for subscribers on unblocking their lines without visiting their stores.

Since Monday, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has reversed the directive to block subscribers impacted by telcos’ earlier move.

Read also: Relief as NCC orders telcos to unblock SIMs

The commission said, “The consumer is our priority. Therefore, considering the challenges the blockages have caused, 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 verify their NINs with their SIMs.”

As August 1, 2024, approaches, the Nigerian government is making last-minute efforts to discourage protests against high unemployment, corruption, and economic stagnation. An anti-protest was held on Monday, and many government officials are begging for more time.