Despite the stringent regulations and penalties imposed by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to curb the illegal sale and purchase of pre-registered SIM cards, the practice has continued to thrive across the country.
Under the current regulatory framework, the sale or use of a pre-registered SIM card carries a fine, jail term, or both.
For a telecom company, each pre-registered SIM card attracts a penalty of N200m and for a user, imprisonment.
These penalties were introduced as part of the Federal Government’s efforts to ensure proper identification of SIM card users, thereby aiding in the fight against crimes such as kidnapping, fraud and terrorism, which often rely on untraceable phone numbers.
However, investigations by BusinessDay revealed that pre-registered SIM cards remain widely available, particularly in suburbs in the nation’s capital where vendors operate discreetly to avoid detection by law enforcement agencies.
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A visit to Nyanya, Karu and Lugbe showed that vendors openly offer pre-registered SIM cards for sale, albeit at higher prices due to the risk involved. These SIM cards, which are pre-activated with false or stolen identification details, allow buyers to use them immediately without undergoing the required biometric registration process.
Speaking anonymously, a vendor at Mararaba junction said the demand for pre-registered SIM cards has not waned, especially among individuals who wish to maintain anonymity for various reasons, including conducting fraudulent activities. “People know it is illegal, but the demand is there. Some customers even pay extra to ensure they get a SIM card that cannot be traced back to them,” he said.
A cybersecurity analyst, Karbi Adamu expressed concern over the continued availability of illegal SIM cards, warning that it undermines the integrity of the country’s telecommunications system and hampers efforts to track down criminals.
He said unless there was a robust enforcement of the penalties, coupled with public awareness campaigns, the illegal trade was unlikely to diminish.
“Without proper enforcement, the law is just on paper. The government needs to crack down harder on the sellers and buyers of these pre-registered SIM cards, as they are a major tool for criminals.”
NCC has reiterated its commitment to eradicate the sale and purchase of pre-registered SIM cards, urging citizens to report any suspicious activities to the authorities.
In a recent statement, the commission warned that it would intensify its monitoring and enforcement efforts, including conducting frequent raids on illegal vendors.
Despite these assurances, the challenge remains significant and the ongoing availability of pre-registered SIM cards continues to undermine Nigeria’s security apparatus. It is clear that for the penalties to be effective, there must be concerted efforts involving not just the NCC, but also law enforcement agencies, the judiciary and the general public.
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In response to these ongoing challenges, Reuben Mouka, director of public affairs at the NCC, expressed dismay and reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to eradicating the sale and purchase of pre-registered SIM cards.
Despite existing systems for SIM registration and user identification, Mouka acknowledged that the unauthorised sale and use of pre-registered SIM cards continue to pose significant risks to national security.
“Given the systems we have in place for registration and identification, it’s difficult to justify why people should be able to sell or use SIM cards registered in someone else’s name,” Mouka remarked. He pointed out that even properly registered SIM cards are often resold, creating a scenario where the identity of the original owner can be misused.
One of Mouka’s primary concerns is the verification process, particularly the issue of mismatched names associated with SIM cards.
He explained that while most users comply with verification requirements, there remains a concerning number of unverified or mismatched lines in circulation.
“For example, someone named Esther John might be using a SIM card registered under the name Abdullahi Abubakar. If she calls you, her name might appear as Abdullahi Abubakar, especially on apps like Truecaller,” Mouka explained.
He clarified that Truecaller and similar apps do not obtain data directly from network providers but aggregate information from various sources, exacerbating the issue of SIM card identity mismatches.
Mouka also highlighted a common telecom practice known as “churning,” where a line that is no longer in use is recycled and reassigned to a new user. This process, he noted, could lead to further confusion and security risks. “Consider the scenario where I, Reuben, buy a line and use it for some time. If I stop using the line and lose it, after a certain period, the telecom company may reassign it to another user. When that happens, Truecaller might still associate the old name with the line,” he said.
In response to these concerns, Mouka called for a more robust system of SIM registration, verification, and management to minimise mismatches and ensure national security.
“The NCC is committed to working with all stakeholders to address these issues and ensure that our communications infrastructure is secure and reliable,” he added.
Deolu Ogubanjo, president of the National Association of Telecom Subscribers of Nigeria (NATCOMs), also voiced concerns over the increasing incidence of fraudulent practices in SIM card registration.
Speaking to BusinessDay via telephone, Ogubanjo noted that many subscribers intentionally avoid proper biometric capture by opting for unauthorized SIM registration centres, commonly known as “umbrella” centres.
Ogubanjo explained that these unauthorized locations often bypass proper procedures, using passport photographs instead of capturing biometrics and inputting incorrect or random data.
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This malpractice, particularly prevalent among the youth, poses a significant challenge to the integrity of the National Identification Number (NIN) registration process, which is central to Nigeria’s unified identity management system.
He urged subscribers to visit authorised centres operated by mobile network providers, such as MTN, where proper biometric data can be accurately captured.
“Subscribers must ensure that their information is accurately recorded at authorised centres to avoid issues that arise from mismatched data,” he stressed.
Gbenga Adebayo, president of the Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), recently disclosed that as of July 2024, around 30 million telephone lines in Nigeria have not been properly linked to their owners’ National Identification Numbers (NINs). These unlinked lines are primarily found in devices such as car trackers, MiFi units, WiFi devices, and Point of Sale (PoS) machines.
Adebayo highlighted this issue during an interview with News Central, emphasising the significant number of SIM cards still unlinked to NINs, despite recent efforts to ensure compliance.
The unblocking of lines not connected to NINs has led to widespread confusion, further complicating the situation for telecom operators and users alike.
This is despite the final phase of disconnecting Subscriber Identity Module numbers (telephone lines) not linked to National Identification Numbers.
The disconnection process, which began in February, has been rolled out in three phases. The first phase occurred on February 28, 2024, followed by the second phase on March 29, 2024.
During the initial deadline on February 28, 2024, the industry regulator reported that about 40 million lines not linked to NINs were barred.
The disconnection was initially scheduled for April 15, 2024, but the Nigeria Communications Commission postponed it to July 31, 2024, after carefully considering the various challenges encountered by subscribers and requests for extensions.
