The Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) has announced a temporary suspension of SIM-related services across all mobile networks in the country due to ongoing migration to a new identity verification platform mandated by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).

ALTON, in a statement issued on Tuesday and signed by its chairman, Engr. Gbenga Adebayo, and publicity secretary, Barr. Damian Udeh, said the transition, which affects processes such as SIM swap, SIM replacement, new SIM activations, and Mobile Number Portability (MNP), has introduced unforeseen technical challenges, temporarily disrupting real-time identity verification services nationwide.

“This disruption follows a recent directive from the NIMC, mandating our Mobile Network Operator (MNO) members to transition to a new identity verification platform. The migration process, which is central to the verification required for SIM registration and other services, has unfortunately impacted service availability,” ALTON explained.

As a result, subscribers across Nigeria are currently unable to carry out SIM-related transactions, including obtaining new SIMs, replacing lost ones, or porting their numbers between networks. The disruption has sparked concern among millions of users who rely heavily on mobile connectivity for communication, financial transactions, and other digital services.

While acknowledging the inconvenience, ALTON emphasized that the shift to the new NIMC system is intended to strengthen the integrity and efficiency of national identity management in the long term.

“This is not just a technical upgrade—it is part of a broader national effort to enhance data security and digital inclusion. However, like with any large-scale migration, initial teething issues are being encountered,” the statement noted.

ALTON reaffirmed its commitment to regulatory compliance and disclosed that its members are working closely with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), NIMC, and other relevant stakeholders to resolve the integration issues as quickly as possible.

“We sincerely apologize for the disruption and kindly advise subscribers to postpone visits to service centers for SIM-related transactions until further notice,” the group stated.

Industry analysts say the migration underscores ongoing efforts by the federal government to harmonize identity verification across critical sectors, including telecommunications, banking, and social services. But they also caution that poor change management could erode public trust if outages persist without clear communication.

Meanwhile, ALTON pledged to provide timely updates as the situation evolves and reiterated its members’ commitment to delivering secure, reliable, and high-quality telecommunications services.

“We appreciate the patience, understanding, and continued support of the Nigerian public during this period,” the statement added.