The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has reported that telecom subscribers in the country utilised 721,522 terabytes of data in January of this year, representing the highest volume of monthly data consumption since it commenced the publication of data statistics in the industry.
The latest data released by the industry regulatory commission on data usage by subscribers though was high in December 2023 due to increased activity during the yuletide season, reaching 713,200 terabytes, but that the January data surpassed it.
According to the commission, internet subscriptions in Nigeria declined by 1.9 million from 163.8 million in December 2023 to 161.9 million in January 2024.
Industry experts are, however, expressing concerns that following the latest directive by the NCC to telecom operators to disconnect subscribers’ lines that are yet to finalize the NIN-SIM linkage by this Friday, data utilization rate may significantly drop from April this year.
Apart from the SIM-NIN linkage directive, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has also directed banks to block transactions on customers’ accounts if the BVN and the NIN are not integrated by the end of this month.
Due to technical and other hitches, millions of bank customers had not been able to complete the process electronically over the past weeks even as those that elected to physically complete the process in banks’ branches were unable to do so, thereby causing serious congestion in many banks’ branches nationwide.
An Abuja-based customer of one of the first generation banks, Mr. Collins, recounted his experience on the BVN-NIN linkage thus: “I have been trying to do the linkage for the past three weeks after the bank sent us the online link but I didn’t get through as the platform kept rejecting my details.
“But then, it is the same details I used in other banks and I succeeded. I think CBN should extend the deadline to allow millions of bank customers that are facing challenges like myself get through with these processes that are being hindered by technological hitches. This is not our fault but those in charge like the banks and the telecom operators”, he pleaded.
