Telecom operators in Nigeria have confirmed that SIM swap services are back, following weeks of nationwide disruption that left millions unable to replace or activate SIM cards.
Both MTN and Airtel have restored SIM swaps across their networks after the downtime, which was traced to the migration to a new National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) verification platform.
MTN posted on Sunday via its support account:
“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.” The company added that anyone who still has issues should visit their nearest service centre for help.
Airtel Nigeria also notified customers through social media that,
“The NIMC PORTAL is up and running. We regret earlier messages suggesting otherwise. We are sorry for the delay and are addressing the issue… We value our partnership with the NIMC and value your patience.”
For now, other big networks like Glo and 9mobile have not made formal statements on SIM swap restoration. However, NIMC has reposted MTN and Airtel’s updates, showing that SIM swap is available on multiple networks again.
Earlier in July, many Nigerians suddenly lost access to SIM-related services. This included SIM swaps, replacements, and new activations. The trouble came from technical changes ordered by NIMC, who directed all telcos to move to a new identity verification system.
This system is critical, because the federal government now requires everyone to link their SIM cards to a National Identification Number (NIN). If the verification platform is down, no new SIM can be activated.
The NIMC said the migration is part of plans to improve the security and reliability of Nigeria’s digital identity infrastructure. But the switch did not go smoothly and caused nationwide service delays for several weeks.
Both MTN and Airtel have urged customers still experiencing delays to visit their service centres for quick support. Operators have thanked the public for their patience during this unexpected break.
For now, Nigerians should expect normal service for SIM swaps and other SIM-related issues, though some queues are likely at major service centres as backlogs are cleared.
As MTN’s message put it:
“We appreciate [NIMC’s] support in the migration… and thank our customers for their patience.”
Nigerians are advised to make sure their NIN is up to date and handy when visiting service centres for any SIM-related request.
