Lagos – Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) says it will impose a fine of five million naira on any telecoms operator that failed to put new SIM cards on ‘receive only’ mode.

Mr Dave Imoko, NCC Director of Public Affairs, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Wednesday that the fine would force operators to comply with the directive.

Imoko said that the sanction was in accordance with the provisions of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003 and the Enforcement Regulations of 2005.

He said that the five million penalty was for default in the first instance and would be follow by surcharges imposed daily while the violation lasted.

NAN reports that the NCC has directed that SIM cards that are not fully activated should not be released into the distribution/ sales channels of the service providers from Feb.14.

It directed that from that date “all new SIMs shall be on ‘receive only’ mode for a period of 30 days”.

“SIM cards shall be unable to process outgoing calls/Short Messaging Service (SMS) except those to emergency numbers and customers care help lines.”

Imoko said that the directive and the penalty were to ensure that service providers comply with the ongoing nationwide SIM cards registration.

He said that none of the operators had defaulted till date.
(NAN)