Nigeria, March 6 -- Over 40 million telephone lines barred after failing to link to the National Identity Numbers face the risk of being forfeited soon, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said.

According to Reuben Mouka, the NCC's Director of Public Affairs, while disclosing this on Tuesday during an interview with PUNCH Online, the telephone lines barred by their telecommunication operators have breached the February 28, 2024, deadline issued by the commission mandating telecom customers to link their Subscriber Identity Modules (SIMs) to their NIN.

He said, "If the barred lines are not acted upon in the next 180 days. They won't be able to receive calls but will only be able to text and make calls. But after the stipulat...