The ban on the sale and registration of new Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards has created a huge black market for the sale of pre-registered SIM cards with prices ranging as high as N15,000 for a card, report says.
On December 9th last year, the Federal Government, through the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Ibrahim Pantami ordered a ban on the sale and registration of new SIM cards. Government threatened to mete out heavy sanctions on them including revocation of operating licences should any of them be found on the side of infractions. Reports from The Nation over the weekend showed that as long as the ban persisted, sellers took advantage to market their pre-registered SIM cards in various regions. Even with the lifting of the ban last week, the black market remained active, although the announcement of the lifting of the ban led to a significant crash in the cost of pre-registered SIM card from about N15,000 to N2,000. From Abuja, Kano, Ibadan, Lagos, and Kontogora, pre-registered SIM cards for the mobile networks were still on sale, especially through decentralised outlets. An Abuja based young techpreneur said he had to pay N10,000 to stay connected because the legal way to acquire a new SIM card had been blocked. Another US returnee in Lagos said he paid about N15,000 to get a SIM card to be able to link up with his families across the country and back in the states. Meanwhile, the Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC) said it has started to clampdown on suspected SIM card registration fraudsters engaged in the sale of pre-registered SIM cards as five persons were arrested and handed over to law enforcment agencies.
Got gist? SMS:08029976464 WhatsApp:08029976464 Email:inkubwa@gmail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment