Data Protection and Other Implications in the Ongoing SIM Card Registration Process

Abstract

Towards the ending of year 2009, the Nigerian Communications Regulator, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in exercising the powers granted it under the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA) 2003 issued a directive that all new Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards must be registered before activation, to be followed by the subsequent registration of the SIM cards of existing SIM card holders at a later date. This directive coming from the NCC was borne out of the need to have a credible database of SIM card holders in Nigeria that will be used to identify (for possible prosecution) criminal actors who perpetrate criminal activities through the use of mobile phones by exploiting the anonymity of an unregistered SIM Card. This article seeks to identify and address the data protection and other issues that will arise in implementing the SIM card registration process.