The Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) has announced a temporary disruption to SIM card-related services across all mobile networks in the country.

The interruption is due to the migration to a new identity verification platform mandated by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).

Gbenga Adebayo, ALTON chairman, explained in a statement on Tuesday that the migration affects real-time identity verification processes essential for SIM registration, SIM replacement, mobile number portability (MNP), and related services. This transition has led to unforeseen technical challenges, impacting service availability nationwide.

“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,” the statement said.

During this period, mobile network operators will be unable to support SIM swap, SIM replacement, new subscriber activations, and other SIM-related transactions.

ALTON and its member companies are working closely with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), NIMC, and other relevant authorities to resolve the integration issues promptly.

Adebayo apologised for the inconvenience caused to millions of subscribers relying on these services for communication, business, and daily activities and advised postponing visits to service centres for SIM-related matters until further notice.

He assured the public of ALTON’s commitment to maintaining secure and high-quality telecommunications services and promised to provide timely updates as the situation progresses.

“We understand the inconvenience this may cause to millions of subscribers who depend on these services for communication, business, and daily activities,” he said. “We sincerely apologise for the disruption and kindly advise subscribers to postpone visits to service centres for SIM-related transactions until further notice.”