Nigeria to launch fresh SIM registration process

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) will soon begin the second phase of its audit of SIM registration across all mobile network Operator (MNO) platforms. Legalbrief reports that it will pay close attention to the audit following its failure to comply with the regulations in 2015 which led to a $5.2bn fine. The commission said the new audit would not prejudice the on-going ‘backend verification and scrubbing’ of SIM registration data already submitted by MNOs. The Guardian reports that the audit is specifically to monitor operators' adherence to the technical and other specifications for the subscriber registration as prescribed by NCC's Telephone Subscribers Registration Regulations of 2011 and the Technical Standards and Specifications issued by the commission in 2011. It also aims to provide further assurance on the integrity of the regulator's SIM registration database. The report notes that commission vice chairman Umar Danbatta said the NCC was sensitive to the fact that the database was a tool for security and law enforcement agencies in the detection and apprehension of criminal activity. ‘As such, we are determined to continue to ensure that all SIM cards are traceable to their real owners with the least effort,’ he added.