Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Guardian Nigeria
Published on 2024-04-10 03:55:40
In February, Nigerian telecom operators activated 1.57 million new mobile subscriptions, boosting the total number of active mobile users in the country to 219.7 million from 218.1 million in January. These statistics were released by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) yesterday. This increase comes after a period where the operators lost approximately six million lines between December 2023 and January 2024 due to the implementation of the NIN-SIM directive.
Among the major operators, MTN remains the largest in the country with 1.1 million new subscriptions added in February, bringing its total to 80.9 million. Airtel also saw growth with 434,175 new subscriptions, increasing its database from 62.6 million in January to 63 million in February. While not as significant as MTN and Airtel, Globacom also experienced a gain of 176,756 new subscriptions in February, reaching a total of 62.1 million active subscriptions. However, 9mobile lost 151,517 subscriptions during the same period, serving a total of 13.6 million active subscriptions.
Despite the challenges faced by telecom operators due to the NIN-SIM directive, the NCC has set a deadline of July 31, 2024, for the completion of the verification exercise. In order to facilitate this process, the NCC is developing a self KYC app that will allow subscribers whose NIN verification failed due to biometric mismatch to correct the errors. This app is expected to simplify and streamline the NIN-SIM linkage process and also simplify the SIM registration process for devices connected to the Internet of Things (IoTs) such as car tracking devices.
It is important for telecom operators to ensure the complete verification exercise by the deadline set by the NCC in order to avoid any further disruptions in service. The NIN-SIM linkage process is crucial for improving security and accountability in the telecom sector, and all stakeholders must work together to ensure its successful implementation. The introduction of the self KYC app is a positive development that will help subscribers who have faced challenges with verification to easily rectify any issues and continue to enjoy the benefits of mobile services in Nigeria.
