Telecom
MTN Disconnects Lines of 4.2m Nigerians after SIM-NIN Deadline
Telecommunications firm, MTN Nigeria has disclosed that it disconnected 4.2 million lines following the expiration of the February 28 deadline to link Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) with National Identity Numbers (NINs).
MTN disclosed this in its audited financial results released on Friday, March 1, 2024.
The company said the lines disconnected were those for which the subscribers did not submit their NIN.
According to the company, since December 2023 when NCC issued an industry-wide directive requiring full barring of subscriber lines not linked to their NIN, it had subjected a total of 19 million lines to verification.
Out of these, it said 4.3 million have been verified and 4.2 million disconnected as of 28 February 2024.
The company, however, noted that the disconnected lines would not affect its revenue as the users were of low value.
“Several of these lines were low-value subscribers, minimizing the revenue impact. We are actively engaging the authorities to accelerate the NIN verification process.
“We have also increased our engagement with the affected customers, providing various channels for verification to minimize service disruption,” MTN stated.
Commenting on the company’s performance in 2023,Karl Toriola, CEO, MTN Nigeria, said the company maintained strong commercial momentum in its connectivity business and platforms, supported by the growth in the user base.
“We added over 4 million subscribers in 2023, bringing our total base to 79.7 million. We also increased our data subscribers by over 5 million to 44.6 million, which helped to drive total data traffic growth of 44.9%.
“This reflected the sustained growth in demand for data, supported by our compelling propositions to customers and the consistent investment in the quality and coverage of our network.
“The additional 2600MHz spectrum we acquired in September 2023 also helped us to deploy additional capacity to our network more efficiently,” Toriola said.
The NCC in December last year issued a directive to all telecommunications operators in Nigeria, including MTN, Airtel, and Globacom, among others are to implement full network barring on all phone lines for which the subscribers have not submitted their national identification numbers (NINs) by February 28, 2024.
In addition, those who had submitted their NINs but have not been verified are also to be fully barred.
On NINs that have been submitted but not verified, such lines are to be barred on or before 29 March 2024, where five or more lines are linked to an unverified NIN.
Similarly, where less than five lines are linked to an unverified NIN, such lines are to be barred on or before 15 April 2024.
According to the directive, all affected subscribers must be verified (biometrics and biodata) before their lines are unbarred.
Google has launched its Search Live feature globally to over 200 countries, including Nigeria, where AI Mode is available, enabling voice-and-camera conversations in users’ preferred languages.
Powered by the new multilingual Gemini 3.1 Flash Live model, it delivers natural, real-time interactions via the Google app on Android or iOS—tap the Live icon under the Search bar.
Ideal for hands-free help, users can speak queries for audio replies, follow-ups, or web links. Camera integration adds visual context, like troubleshooting a shelving unit, or pairs with Google Lens for real-world chats.
From the app or Lens, Nigerians can now explore, learn, or solve tasks instantly, boosting everyday productivity worldwide.
Clean and reliable power for telecom networks in Ethiopia, Liberia, and Sierra Leone will be expanded following a $45 million investment by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) in IPT PowerTech.
The investment targets countries where limited power supply continues to slow digital connectivity and broader economic participation, the institution stated earlier this week.
To enable this expansion, the IFC is providing a $45 million corporate financing package consisting of an A-loan of $27 million and $18 million in blended finance.
The blended portion is sourced from the Canada-IFC Blended Climate Finance Programme and the IDA20 Private Sector Window Blended Finance Facility.
The initiative marks the IFC’s first direct infrastructure engagement in Liberia in a decade and in Sierra Leone in six years.
It will help scale solar- and battery-based power systems that reduce reliance on diesel and support greener, more resilient telecom networks.
By improving the quality and stability of power to telecom towers, the initiative will strengthen mobile coverage and ensure that households, schools, health centres, and small businesses can depend on consistent digital services, said the IFC.
The funding supports the modernisation, operation, and maintenance of 2 235 telecom sites across the three nations. More than 90% of these are located in off-grid or weak-grid locations.
With new solar and battery systems powering these sites, mobile networks will experience fewer outages and improved service quality.
Optimising the energy mix is estimated to reduce power costs for operators by up to 30% in Liberia, 26% in Sierra Leone, and 52% in Ethiopia.
This transition is also expected to cut emissions by more than 10 624 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually. Furthermore, the partnership will promote gender inclusion by expanding opportunities for women in technical, operational, and leadership roles within the sector, says the IFC.
This agreement reflects a shared vision for a greener telecom industry and empowers the company to scale its innovative energy platforms, according to Nabil Haddad, CEO of IPT PowerTech Group.
Reliable and affordable power for telecom networks is a cornerstone of Africa’s digital transformation, said Nathalie Kouassi-Akon, IFC regional director for West Africa and the Gulf of Guinea.
Through this partnership, the institution is supporting a scalable, private sector-led solution that enables mobile operators to reach underserved and fragile communities more sustainably, added Kouassi-Akon.
The project advances the World Bank Group and African Development Bank’s Mission 300 initiative, which aims to provide electricity to 300 million Africans by 2030.
Expedier has unveiled “Expedier for Business,” an online pro-banking platform to simplify global payments, multi-currency transactions, and financial operations for expanding companies.
Kingsley Madu
The tool centralizes payments, invoicing, payroll, and treasury into one secure dashboard, tackling challenges like fragmented systems and poor visibility that hinder international scaling.
Kingsley Madu, Co-Founder and CEO of Expedier, said: “African businesses are increasingly global… Expedier for Business was built to simplify how companies manage money across borders while maintaining visibility, control, and compliance.”
Key features include customizable dashboards for payments, invoices, and workflows; support for USD, CAD, GBP, EUR, and more; virtual cards; automated payroll/invoicing; currency swaps; and real-time tracking.
Security measures cover two-factor authentication, KYC/KYB verification, and team access controls.
As cross-border trade and remote work boom in Africa, the platform aids firms dealing with international suppliers, teams, and customers. It is now available for organizations scaling globally.
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