The Nigerian Communications Commission has cautioned Nigerians against purchasing pre-registered SIM cards, highlighting that this practice is illegal and could lead to severe repercussions.
In a note posted on its X platform on Friday, the telecom regulator stressed that using pre-registered SIM cards undermines the accuracy of consumer information.
“Buying pre-registered SIM cards is criminal and may lead to imprisonment, implication in identity theft, financial fraud, kidnapping and armed robbery,” part of the advisory noted.
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) warned that using pre-registered SIM cards undermines the reliability of consumer data, making it difficult for authorities to identify and apprehend criminals.
The warning aims to educate the public about the risks and encourage compliance with legal registration procedures to enhance national security.
The NCC also emphasized the importance of linking SIM cards to National Identification Numbers (NINs), a directive initiated by the Nigerian government in December 2020 to streamline identification and combat scams.
The NCC has mandated telecommunications companies to enforce network barring on phone lines not linked to NINs.