Contrary to recent statements by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), telecommunications operators have said that SIM services such as registration and activation have not yet fully resumed.
While NIMC had announced that all platforms were now functional, the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) has offered a more nuanced update.
According to media reports, ALTON Chairman, Gbenga Adebayo, confirmed on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, that while NIMC’s platform is indeed operational, technical hitches remain.
“As a result, SIM-related services such as registration and activation have not yet fully resumed,” Adebayo said.
What This Means
According to Adebayo, the delays are due to recently introduced rules governing NIN integration. He stressed that active engagement is ongoing between telcos, NIMC, and other stakeholders to resolve the bottlenecks.
“However, engagements are ongoing with NIMC and other key stakeholders to address the bottlenecks and enable a full restoration of services as soon as possible,” he stated.
“We appreciate the patience and understanding of subscribers during this transitional period.”
NIN Enrolments Hit 121 Million
Meanwhile, the NIN enrolment database continues to expand, with NIMC announcing that 121 million Nigerians had been issued NINs as of June 30, 2025. This marks an increase of 7 million compared to the 114 million recorded in December 2024.
According to the NIMC, Lagos State continues to lead the national enrolment tally, with over 12.9 million NINs issued.
Kano State follows in second place with 11.07 million, while Kaduna State has overtaken Ogun, climbing to third place with 7.1 million. Ogun now ranks fourth, with 5.06 million enrolments.
In terms of gender distribution, male enrollees account for 56.5% (68.4 million) of the database, while female enrollees represent 43.5% (52.9 million).
What You Should Know
To further boost enrolment and meet its ambitious target of covering 95% of Nigerians by year-end, NIMC has launched a new initiative in collaboration with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
Through its Ward Enrolment Strategy, the Commission says it is deploying trained Youth Corps members to underserved areas, thereby increasing access to NIN registration for communities left behind in previous digital inclusion drives.
Speaking on the initiative, NIMC DG/CEO Abisoye Coker-Odusote said the ward enrolment programme would not only improve planning and governance but also give the government an accurate picture of the country’s population.
“The Corps members selected are currently undergoing intensive training in preparation for the kick-off of the ward enrollment,” she said.
Market Analysis
According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the telecoms sector contributed 16.3% to Nigeria’s GDP in Q1 2025, making it one of the most critical pillars of the country’s economy.
With millions of active mobile subscriptions, delays in SIM registration and activation, according to experts, have the potential to stall subscriber growth.
As Nigeria intensifies efforts to build a unified digital identity system, experts say the disconnect between NIMC’s claims of restored services and the reality on the ground for telecom operators underscores ongoing operational challenges.
Until full synchronisation is achieved between government agencies and private operators, according to experts, millions of Nigerians seeking SIM activation or registration may continue to face delays.
Talking Points
At Techparley, we believe this moment reflects a deeper structural challenge: infrastructure may be live, but system interoperability and regulatory clarity remain underdeveloped.
Mobile Network Operators are right to proceed with caution. Integrating new NIN compliance protocols into legacy systems requires time, precision, and stability to avoid flawed data entry, security lapses, or user lockouts.
The implications go beyond telecoms. Fintech platforms, e-commerce, government services, and mobile banking all depend on verified SIMs, meaning that a delay in one system ripples across Nigeria’s broader digital economy.
While it’s commendable that over 121 million Nigerians have been enrolled into the NIN database, we must remember that access does not equal usability. Without seamless verification pathways, digital identity risks becoming a bottleneck instead of a bridge.
Going forward, real collaboration between NIMC, telcos, and regulators must be prioritised, not just in emergency response but in long-term planning. Transparent communication is essential to rebuild public trust.
