Nigeria - Sale of SIM cards without registration continue in markets, while stocks last

[daily trust] SIM packs are still sold in open markets across the country because GSM operating companies have not exhausted the ones they had in stocks before the May 1 dateline, the Nigerian Communications Communication (NCC) has said.

NCC, had in December last year, directed all telecoms companies operating in the country to put all necessary arrangements in place for the smooth take off of the SIM registration, which is aimed at improving security in the country.

"The NCC, in exercise of its regulatory functions as provided for by the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA) 2003, wishes to inform the general public and all the relevant stakeholders that arrangements have been concluded for the commencement of registration of all SIM Card Holders in Nigeria.

"The registration process will include the capture of the photograph and biometrics of the subscriber. Proxy registration shall be restricted to the direct families of persons seeking registration. The Commission has directed all telecom operating companies to put all necessary arrangements in place for the smooth take off of the exercise", it said.

But despite the expiry of the dateline for the commencement of the exercise in the country, Daily Trust investigation yesterday showed that SIM packs of all GSM operating companies are still being sold in the open markets and on streets, contrary to expectation of subscribers.

Our correspondent observed in Abuja that SIM packs sellers carried on wooing buyers to themselves, just the way they had been doing it before the May 1 dateline.

A seller at Wuse Market, who identified herself simply as Janet, said she was unaware of any dateline on SIM registration.

She told Daily Trust: "We still get them {SIM packs} where we buy them at wholesales and we still sell to people."

But speaking in an interview with Daily Trust, the Head, Public Affairs of NCC, Mr. Reuben Mouka, said it is the responsibility of the GSM operating companies to flag off the SIM registration exercise.

According to Reuben, the SIM cards being sold are the ones the companies had produced long before the dateline expired.

He said companies still have up to six months to exhaust what they have in stocks, adding it would be unfair for NCC to rush them into beginning the new process without allowing them to sell off what they have.

However a spokesman of one of the GSM companies, who preferred anonymity, told Daily Trust on phone that it may take the companies a longer than six months to begin the new NCC exercise.

According to him, the companies are not in hurry to start it now because it will involve some expenditure, which is yet to be budgeted for.

Nigeria: Sim Card Registration Suffers Setback