On Monday, Nigerians protested aggressively against telecom companies that blocked lines not linked to the National Identification Number (NIN).
The situation escalated into violence at some locations, with frustrated customers damaging stores and threatening arson. MTN, which has 81.79 million subscribers out of Nigeria’s 219.01 million connected lines, was hit hardest.
The unrest coincided with planned youth protests against worsening economic conditions under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Since Tinubu’s reforms, including fuel subsidy removal and foreign exchange market liberalization, inflation has soared to 34.19% and the Naira’s value has plummeted, driving up the cost of living.
In response to the violence, MTN closed its stores nationwide on Tuesday and may remain shut for the week.
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has since reversed its directive to block lines, directing operators to reactivate disconnected numbers due to the chaos caused.
The government is also stepping up efforts to prevent further protests amid rising unemployment and economic issues.
Business Day