Telecommunications operators in Nigeria have announced the resumption of SIM swap and related services, following a nationwide disruption that had left millions of subscribers unable to access essential mobile services for several weeks.
MTN Nigeria and Airtel, two of the country’s major telecom providers, confirmed on Sunday that their SIM swap services are now back online. The disruption, which began on July 2, stemmed from issues accessing the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC)’s identity verification platform—a critical infrastructure for SIM registration and related processes.
MTN Nigeria, in a public update shared via its official support handle on X (formerly Twitter), stated: “We acknowledge the recent service disruptions affecting all SIM-related services and sincerely apologise for the inconvenience. SIM swaps have now resumed. We can confirm that NIMC services are fully operational and appreciate their support in the migration to a new platform for NIN verification services for the telecommunications industry. If you’re experiencing any delays with SIM swaps, please visit the nearest MTN service centre for prompt assistance.”
Airtel Nigeria also confirmed the restoration of services in a separate statement, clarifying earlier confusion about the status of the NIMC portal. “The NIMC portal is up and running. We regret earlier messages suggesting otherwise. We’re sorry for the delay and are addressing the issue. We’ll update customers once resolved. We value our partnership with NIMC and appreciate your patience,” the company stated.
At the time of filing this report, other telecom operators, including Glo and 9mobile, had yet to issue official updates on the resumption of SIM swap and related services. However, NIMC, through its verified X handle, reposted updates from both MTN and Airtel, signaling that services across networks are likely being restored.
The interruption, which significantly impacted SIM swaps, replacements, and new SIM activations nationwide, followed a directive from the National Identity Management Commission mandating mobile network operators (MNOs) to transition to a new identity verification platform. This platform is integral to real-time validation of the National Identification Number (NIN), a key requirement under the federal government’s SIM-NIN integration policy.
Earlier in July, the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) announced a temporary suspension of SIM-related services across all mobile networks. ALTON Chairman, Gbenga Adebayo, explained that the downtime was a result of technical challenges arising from the NIMC-mandated migration to a new identity verification infrastructure.
“The migration process, which directly impacts real-time identity verification required for SIM registration, SIM replacement, mobile number portability (MNP), and other related services, has caused unforeseen technical challenges affecting service availability nationwide,” Adebayo said.
The NIN verification system plays a central role in Nigeria’s digital identity regime, ensuring that all SIM registrations are tied to verifiable national identities. The platform migration is part of the government’s broader push to enhance the security and efficiency of the country’s identity infrastructure.
The importance of this verification system became even more apparent after the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) concluded the SIM-NIN linkage exercise in September 2024. The exercise, which had undergone several deadline extensions, culminated in the disconnection of all SIM cards not linked to a valid NIN. As a result, no SIM card can be activated or replaced without successful identity validation via the NIMC platform.
Now that the system is operational again, MTN and Airtel are urging customers who still face service delays to visit nearby service centres for prompt resolution. Both operators expressed appreciation to NIMC for its collaboration and thanked customers for their patience during the extended downtime.
