The Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) has attributed the widespread failure in SIM card activations, swaps, and other related services to a technical disruption caused by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC)’s migration to a new identity verification platform.
In a statement on Tuesday, ALTON explained that the migration has left millions of telecom subscribers unable to access critical SIM services, including new activations, replacements, and number portability. The issue affects all mobile network operators (MNOs) in the country, as the transition has halted real-time identity verification processes required for these services.
“During this period, MNOs will not be able to process SIM swaps, replacements, or new activations,” ALTON stated. While the migration aims to enhance security and efficiency, unexpected technical challenges have severely impacted businesses and individuals reliant on these services.
ALTON has advised customers to delay visits to service centers until the issue is resolved, apologizing for the inconvenience while assuring the public of ongoing updates and compliance with regulatory directives.
Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.
Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.
He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.
Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).
He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.
He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.
Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled: Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.
