Nigeria’s Communications Commission (NCC) has announced a new series of measures aimed at eliminating the sale and use of pre-registered SIM cards, several local media outlets reported on Tuesday, November 11, 2025. This decision is part of the government’s ongoing efforts to ensure digital security and the reliability of the mobile identification system.
According to NCC Executive Director Aminu Maida, pre-registered SIM cards pose a major threat to national cybersecurity, as they facilitate criminal activities such as fraud, identity theft, and money laundering. The commission therefore plans to intensify field inspections, penalize complicit operators, and strengthen coordination with security forces and the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).
” The updated enforcement procedures regulations will provide a transparent and accountable framework for compliance monitoring, investigations and sanctions ,” said the NCC executive director.
Nigeria, with over 220 million mobile subscribers, has already undertaken several campaigns to clean up the sector, including the requirement to link SIM cards to the National Identification Number (NIN). Despite these measures, loopholes persist in the distribution chain, particularly with some informal resellers who continue to offer pre-activated SIM cards.
Through this initiative, the NCC hopes to establish better user traceability while strengthening trust in the digital ecosystem. Authorities assert that this regulatory rigor is also essential to support the expansion of services such as mobile finance and e-commerce.
Source: https://extensia.tech/nigeria-telecoms-regulator-wants-to-end-pre-registered-sim-cards/
