Telecom
Sim Registration: Towards a Hitch Free Exercise
This week will witness the commencement of a historic exercise in the development of telecommunications in the country, as it marks the beginning of registration of Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) cards used by subscribers of Global System for Mobile communications and Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) operators.
Sim card registration is the process of documenting biodata of subscribers of mobile telecommunications services in the country. This means that information about every user of mobile communications service will be available to both operator of the network the individual subscribed to as well as Nigerian Communications Commission. This exercise became necessary in view rising crime wave perpetrated with mobile phone without trace to the actual owners of such lines.
How it came about
Nigerian Communications Commission in its effort at making telecommunications sector vibrant has been supporting advocacy groups, providing them with the platform to contribute on the best way to grow the industry. The Sim card registration is fallout of activities of advocacy groups in the sector. It all started when immediate past president of Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (Atcon) Dr. Emmanuel Ekwumem, at a press conference advocated for Sim card registration as a way of addressing the incessant use of mobile phone in crime commission as well as provide the much needed national identity databank with close to 70 percent of Nigerians owning mobile phones.
This initiative was presented to NCC by Atcon, after thorough study of the exercise and the modalities of realizing it that the regulatory body adopted it and thereafter notified operators of its intension to commence the process by March 1 which was later shifted to May 1 this year.
Shortly after the initial announcement in December 2009 for the commencement of SIM card registration in March 1, 2010, telecom operators flooded the market with SIM cards, using direct sales method in selling them to customers. Young sales representatives from across all networks were seen selling SIM cards in market places and on popular streets in Lagos and other cities of the country. The sales campaign was so intensified that the sales representatives were approaching all kind of people with convincing words to purchase their SIM cards. They went as far as crashing the cost of SIM Card from N200 to N100 and were almost forcing them on people who were not even willing to buy additional SIM cards.
The marketing campaign, it was gathered, was to quickly dispose the large amount of SIM cards, which the operating companies had rolled into the market, with the plans to get more subscribers on their networks, before the commencement of SIM card registration.
Stakeholders view
Deolu Ogunbanjo, President of National Association of Telecom Subscribers (Natcoms), commended NCC for accepting the initiative but noted that the time frame given was still not enough for telecom operating companies to get fully prepared for SIM card registration, if they have to do a credible job.
Ogunbanjo accused the NCC for not carrying out proper enlightenment campaign on the registration process.
According to him, NCC ought to have embarked on serious campaign on radio, television and in the newspapers to create awareness on what subscribers need to know about SIM Card registration and its benefits to subscribers. He said people in villages do not know anything about SIM Card registration because of lack of awareness campaign on the part of NCC.
Ogunbanjo equally called for the review of the conditions attached to SIM Card registration, to allow for a seamless registration exercise when the time comes. "A situation where people must present national identity cards and divers’ licences before registering their SIM Cards is unacceptable because majority of rural dwellers do not have drivers’ licences and national identity cards." How do you expect the old men and women in villages to produce drivers’ licences and national identity cards before they could register their SIM Cards, Ogunbanjo questioned.
Reuben Muoka, NCC spokesman, announcing the shift in date for the commencement of registration of all new SIM Card users in Nigeria, earlier scheduled for March 1, 2010, to May 1, 2010 said the deferment became necessary following the discovery that large amount of SIM Cards with instant activation features, which were already distributed by the service providers before the earlier announcement, would not have been cleared out before March 1, 2010.
He said the period from March 1, 2010 to May 1, 2010, will give room to the operating companies to clear the backlog of SIM cards in the market to allow for seamless registration of all new SIM cards from the new date.
The commission said it has directed all telecom operating companies to put necessary arrangements in place to ensure that all new SIM cards are registered before they are activated with effect from May 1, 2010. The extended period will also give the service providers the extra time to finalize the installation of all necessary facilities for the registration, Muoka further said.
The registration process will include the capture of the photograph and biometrics of the subscriber.
In the case of existing SIM card holders, NCC said necessary processes and procedures were currently being put in place to guarantee a smooth registration exercise and that the general public and all relevant stakeholders would be notified in due course about the timing and how to proceed.
Lolia Emakpore, head of Consumers Affair at the Nigerian Communications Commission, said the SIM card registration is in line with complaints that the commission had gotten that mobile phones are used to aid crimes and government has instructed the commission to adopt a mode to help stop crime.
"Nigeria does not have an effective database and that is why we think six months is enough to cover the six geo-political zones in the country and even get to the local government areas," she said.
Telecoms operators are however pessimistic about whether the process will be well conducted.
According to Ms. Emakpore, the process will require subscribers to produce their National Identity card. Biometrics will also be taken, to curb fraud, during the process of registration.
Stakeholders concerns
Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (Atcon) and the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (Alton) have said that third parties should not be allowed in the proposed SIM card registration process.
A third party is someone (or company) other than the principals (telecom companies) directly involved in a transaction or agreement.
Dr Emmanuel Ekuwem, Atcon president, said that “Atcon made it clear that operators should be allowed to register their subscribers’ SIM cards themselves. When you want to open a bank account, the bank marketers come to you to do the marketing, they give you all the forms to fill and open the account for you. There is no third party that is working for the bank.”
Also nodding in agreement, Engineer Gbenga Adebayo, Alton president explained that the process must be transparent as much as possible, it must be friendly, and it must be seamless and flexible. “Operators we expect should be allowed as a first option to register their own subscribers. As a second option and for reasons of convenience, people should have the option of going to nominated centres to register,” he said.
NCC resolves concerns
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) may have accepted telecom operators as first level option as against engaging consultants only to carry out the process of Sim card registration of existing subscribers, Nigeria CommunicationsWeek can now revealed.
This is sequel to directive the regulatory body issued to both Global System for Mobile communications and their Code Division Multiple Access operators to begin the registration of their existing subscribers on their network.
Nigeria CommunicationsWeek investigations revealed that some operators especially CDMA operators have notified their subscribers through short message service (SMS) to get ready for the exercise which starts this week.
With SIM card registration, the authorized dealer who sells SIM cards, must get security details of every buyer and forward such details to the operating company who must register the details against the SIM card before activating it.
The whole essence is to enable telecom operators to link every SIM card number to the identity of the actual owner.
As the exercise begins this week it the view of industry watchers that it will be a hitch free one that is devoid of complexities in the process that will make for easy registration.
National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has announced the successful migration of all Telecommunications firms to the new National Identification Number (NIN) verification platform (NINAuth).
According to Dr Kayode Adegoke, head, corporate communications, NIMC, the migration marked a significant step forward in enhancing the security, efficiency, and user experience of NIN verification services.
Adegoke said in a statement that the NINAuth platform, designed and implemented by NIMC, offers seamless verification services to Nigerians.
He described it as a more convenient and secure way to verify citizens identities.
” By migrating to this new platform, Telecommunications firms can now provide uninterrupted verification services to their subscribers.
“This achievement is a result of NIMC’s painstaking efforts to put the power to control NIN data in the hands of the holders.
“The NINAuth platform enhances data protection, gives control of personal data to the owners, offers seamless verification, and provides convenient sign-on access to services,” Adegoke said.
He quoted Lanre Yusuf, director, IT/IDD, NIMC, as confirming that all telecommunications firms have been successfully migrated and uninterrupted verification services are being offered by the Commission.
While the Commission assured that the Verification and Authentication Service platforms are functional and accessible to all , it however, said any issue being experienced by NIN holders on New SIM registration, SIM swap, SIM migration, Welcome back SIM, and others should be directed to the Telcos for resolution.
Telecom
Aliyu Aboki, WATRA Executive Secretary Champions Regulatory Harmonisation to Unlock West Africa’s Digital Economy
Mr. Aliyu Yusuf Aboki, executive secretary of the West Africa Telecommunications Regulators Assembly (WATRA), has reaffirmed the Assembly’s commitment to -promoting a harmonised digital policy and regulatory environment across West Africa—stating that consistent, coordinated regulation is key to unlocking investment, innovation, and growth in the region’s digital economy.
Speaking at the opening of the third meeting of WATRA’s Working Groups in Accra, Ghana, Mr. Aboki emphasised that a harmonised regulatory space would turn West Africa into a coherent, unified digital market attractive to global and regional investors.
“WATRA is not just facilitating dialogue—we are laying the foundation for a seamless regional market where innovation and investment can thrive,” said Mr. Aboki. “This meeting in Accra reflects our collective determination to build regulatory infrastructure that enables inclusion, trust, and scale.”
Hosted by Ghana’s National Communications Authority (NCA), the four-day high-level session brings together telecom regulators, private sector leaders, development partners, and digital policy experts to share knowledge and experiences and develop recommendations that will refine regional frameworks in three key areas: consumer experience, infrastructure development, and cybersecurity.
Why Harmonisation Creates a Larger Market
The ECOWAS region—home to over 400 million people—has immense potential as a single digital market. Yet divergent national regulations have led to fragmented investment environments, increased compliance costs, and inefficiencies in service delivery.
By aligning rules and standards across borders, harmonisation expands the effective size of the market available to telecom operators, fintechs, digital platforms, and infrastructure investors. Instead of dealing with 16 different licensing regimes, spectrum policies, or consumer regulations, companies can scale more efficiently across the region—reducing costs and risks while increasing innovation and competition.
“Regulatory harmonisation transforms fragmented national markets into one larger, more investable region,” Mr. Aboki explained. “It’s the gateway to building regional tech champions, improving affordability for consumers, and fostering resilient digital systems.”
Why the Working Groups Matter
WATRA’s Working Groups—on Consumer Access and Experience, Infrastructure Development, and Cybersecurity—are the Assembly’s strategic engines for technical cooperation and reform. Under Mr. Aboki’s leadership, they are designing regional frameworks that serve as models for national implementation.
- Consumer Access and Experience: Enhancing consumer trust and fair service standards increases uptake of digital services and drives inclusive digital participation.
- Infrastructure Development: Harmonised infrastructure policies—especially around spectrum allocation, satellite communications and sub-sea and terrestrial optical fibre—attract investment in broadband, towers, and regional connectivity.
- Cybersecurity: Establishing regional cyber standards is critical to protecting users, safeguarding cross-border digital trade, and ensuring investor confidence.
“The Working Groups produce actionable, home-grown solutions that regulators can adapt to national contexts,” Mr. Aboki said. “They are where vision meets implementation.”
A Sector of Strategic Importance
West Africa’s telecommunications industry is a cornerstone of the region’s economic development. With over 250 million mobile subscribers, more than 120 million internet users, and nearly 15% of Nigeria’s GDP coming from ICT, the sector plays a transformative role in commerce, education, governance, and job creation.
Yet, the absence of harmonised rules continues to impede regional scale. Mr. Aboki stressed that the creation of a Single Digital Market in West Africa could unlock billions of dollars in annual value, supporting seamless mobile roaming, digital financial inclusion, cross-border e-commerce, and regional cloud infrastructure.
A Vision for Regional Digital Transformation
The Accra meeting will finalise recommendations and technical outputs for validation and adoption at WATRA’s next Conference of Regulators. These outcomes are expected to serve as shared regional standards—improving regulatory consistency while respecting each country’s unique context.
Ghana’s Acting Director-General of the NCA, Edmund Yirenkyi Fianko, expressed support for the harmonisation effort, citing Ghana’s leadership in ECOWAS free roaming and regional cybersecurity frameworks.
Aliyu Aboki’s Strategic Leadership
Since taking office, Mr. Aboki has steered WATRA into a new era of proactive, consensus-driven regional leadership. His efforts are helping to position the Assembly as a continental thought leader in telecom and digital regulation—bridging national priorities with a unified regional vision.
“Regulation should be an accelerator of innovation, not a barrier,” Mr. Aboki concluded. “Through harmonisation, we can build a larger, safer, and more inclusive market that delivers real benefits to citizens, investors, and governments alike.”
Telecom
NCC and Attorneys-General Forge Powerful Alliance to Accelerate Nigeria’s Digital Transformation
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has officially inaugurated its first-ever Annual Workshop for Attorneys-General, convening top legal officers from across Nigeria to strengthen regulatory collaboration and drive the nation’s digital agenda forward.
L-R: Head, Legal & Regulatory Services, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Chizua Whyte; Chairman, Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee, Taiwo Oyedele; Attorney General of Lagos State, Lawal Pedro, SAN; Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN; Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, NCC, Dr Aminu Maida; and Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management, NCC, Barr. Rimini Makama, during the 1st edition of a two-day Annual Workshop for Attorneys General on Emerging Issues in the Communications Industry, hosted by the Commission which started in Lagos on Wednesday, July 30, 2025.
Opening the workshop at the Sheraton Hotel in Ikeja, Dr. Aminu Maida, Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of the NCC, emphasized the urgent need for strategic partnerships between the legal community and regulatory authorities.
“Collaboration is not optional—it is essential,” said Dr. Maida.
The workshop aims to catalyze reforms in the outdated Nigerian Communications Act of 2003, aligning regulatory frameworks with cutting-edge technologies and evolving consumer needs. Areas of focus include artificial intelligence governance, 5G infrastructure rollout, and stronger data protection protocols.
Delivering the keynote address, Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, praised the NCC for initiating this impactful dialogue. He underscored the importance of legal clarity and enforcement in combating obstacles such as fragmented taxation, overlapping regulatory mandates, and infrastructure vandalism.
Citing notable setbacks—including the 2023 vandalism of base stations in Kano and the tax conflicts in Ogun State—Chief Fagbemi described these incidents as economic sabotage and called for unified legal responses.
He also spotlighted Anambra State’s Right-of-Way policy, which led to a 38% increase in fibre optic deployment, urging other states to emulate such progressive approaches.
A pivotal highlight of the workshop was the reaffirmation of telecom networks as Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII), officially designated under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2024 Executive Order. This new status demands heightened protection and robust legal support.
The NCC announced that the workshop will become an annual platform for cross-governmental collaboration on emerging digital challenges, including cybersecurity, sustainable connectivity, consumer rights, and regulatory innovation.
As Nigeria positions itself at the forefront of Africa’s digital revolution, this unified effort by regulators and legal stakeholders marks a bold step in shaping an inclusive, resilient, and future-ready communications landscape.
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