MTN Nigeria has announced the closure of all its offices across the country on July 30th, following widespread protests from subscribers affected by the blocking of their SIM cards. The telecommunications giant made the announcement via a statement shared on Tuesday.
“Yello customer, please be informed that our shops nationwide will be closed today, 30th July 2024,” the statement read.
The closure comes after numerous customers gathered outside MTN offices in various states, including Lagos, Osogbo, Uyo, and Ibadan, to express their frustration over the deactivation of their SIM cards. The protests were sparked by issues related to the National Identification Number (NIN) and its linkage to SIM registrations. The company faced backlash from customers who claimed they complied with the NIN-SIM linkage requirements but still had their lines deactivated, preventing access to essential services.
In response to the SIM card blocks, videos circulating on social media showed large crowds vandalising the MTN office in Festac, Lagos. The situation escalated, and police were called to restore order.
In its statement, MTN did not provide specific reasons for the nationwide closure.
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