How to link NIN to MTN after being barred to unblock your SIM

If you fail to comply with the Nigerian government's ruling that all active SIM cards in the country must be linked or attached with the users’ National Identification Number (NIN), it's possible your MTN SIM card has been blocked by now.

In this article, we'll walk you through the processes of unblocking your MTN SIM card after being blocked for the NIN's non-compliance regulation.

However, if your MTN SIM card is not blocked due to NIN non-compliance reasons, here's a comprehensive guide that will walk you through how to unblock your MTN SIM and other things to know about PUK blocking and unblocking.

Unblocking MTN SIM with NIN after being Blocked

To unblock your blocked MTN SIM card with NIN, you'll need to retrieve the NIN if you don't have it saved on your phone or somewhere else. To retrieve the NIN, dial *346# on your registered phone number and choose option 1, which is "NIN Retrieval".

Furthermore, you can also retrieve your NIN through the NIMC mobile app. Kindly log in to the app, and your NIN will be displayed on the homepage of the app. You can also walk in to any NIMC offices nationwide to retrieve your National Identification Number (NIN).

How to link NIN to blocked SIM

There are three methods to unblock your MTN SIM card with NIN: the USSD method, the MTN web method and the NIMC mobile app ID method.

Method 1: Linking NIN to blocked MTN via USSD

You can easily unblock your MTN SIM by linking your NIN through dialling the *785# USSD code on the affected line. Follow the prompts that come out and easily connect your NIN to your blocked MTN SIM.

Method 2: Linking NIN to blocked MTN via MTN Online Portal

To link your NIN to your blocked MTN SIM via the MTN NIN webpage, visit the webpage URL at https://nin.mtn.ng/nin/. Note that you can only access this URL through a browser. You can use the one on your smartphone or computer.

On the page, enter the blocked MTN phone number, email address, and your NIN. Once that is done, click on Next and follow the instructions that come up to successfully connect your NIN to the blocked MTN number.

Method 3: Linking NIN to blocked MTN SIM via NIMC Mobile ID App

You can also unblock your MTN SIM card by linking your NIN to the SIM card via the NIMC Mobile ID app. Here's how:

If you haven't downloaded the NIMC app, navigate to your phone's app store to download and install the NIMC app. After the app installation, open it and proceed to the login section. Input your NIN and authenticate the login by confirming the OTP sent to the phone number associated with your NIN.

Upon successful login, access the "My Device" section and select "Add Mobile Number". Enter the MTN number that is currently blocked and verify it by entering the OTP sent to that number. This process will effectively link your NIN to your MTN number and subsequently unblock your SIM card.

However, it's important to let you know that it may take up to 48 hours for your SIM card to be reinstated after the successful linkage. If after this period your SIM card still remains blocked, repeat the aforementioned steps until the process is successful.