Telecommunications operators have alerted the public to a temporary disruption affecting SIM-related services across all mobile networks in Nigeria.

The telcos under the aegis of Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), disclosed that this disruption follows a recent directive from the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), mandating Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) to transition to a new identity verification platform.

ALTON in a statement yesterday signed by the Chairman and Publicity Secretary, Gbenga Adebayo and Damain Udeh respectively, said 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 introduced unforeseen technical challenges that are currently affecting service availability nationwide.

They explained that while the new platform is intended to enhance the integrity and efficiency of identity management in Nigeria, unfortunately, the transition has temporarily impacted the ability of MNOs to deliver seamless SIM-related services.

“During this period, MNOs will not be able to support, SIM Swap, SIM replacement, activation of new subscribers and other SIM-related services.

“As responsible operators, ALTON and its member companies remain fully committed to regulatory compliance and are working closely with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), NIMC, and other relevant authorities to resolve the integration issues as quickly as possible,” they stated, Telcos, which said they understand the inconvenience this may cause to millions of subscribers, who depend on these services for communication, business, and daily activities, apologise for the disruption and advise subscribers to postpone visits to service centers for SIM related transactions until further notice.

ALTON said members will continue to provide timely updates as the situation evolves and remains committed to ensuring the delivery of secure, reliable, and high-quality telecommunications services to all Nigerians.