SIM Services Halted Nationwide as Nigeria Upgrades Identity System

Mobile subscribers across Nigeria are currently facing a widespread disruption in SIM-related services due to a major system upgrade by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC). Services like new SIM registration, SIM swaps, mobile number portability, and National Identification Number (NIN) enrollment have all been put on hold temporarily, affecting millions who rely on mobile access for everyday tasks and financial transactions.

The outage stems from NIMC's transition to a new digital identity verification platform designed to be faster and more accurate. While this upgrade promises long-term benefits, the short-term impact is being felt sharply across the country. The telecom industry group, the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), confirmed the halt in services and urged customers to delay any SIM-related transactions until further notice.

"We know this causes real inconvenience for people who depend on mobile services for work, communication, and access to digital platforms," ALTON said in a public statement. "We apologise and ask for patience as this transition is completed."

BlueSalt Financial Services, a Nigerian fintech firm, is leading the migration of telecom operators to the new platform. Although NIMC has said that services were restored as of July 2 following technical maintenance, mobile operators appear to still be working through final integrations and system stabilisation.

NIMC, which has already registered over 120 million Nigerians in its identity system, aims to enroll 100 million more by the end of the year to hit its 95% national coverage goal. The current outage threatens to derail that timeline, raising concerns about access to mobile connectivity and digital inclusion, especially in rural and underserved areas.

Authorities are now racing to bring systems back online fully. In the meantime, millions remain without access to essential mobile services that are critical for daily life and financial inclusion.