The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) says as of Friday, 1,374,723 active SIM cards have been registered, representing a 57.6% registration rate out of approximately 2,383,920 active SIM cards across all licensed networks in Namibia.
The figure is an improvement from the 1,043,144 subscribers registered, reflecting a 43% registration rate as of November 30, 2023.
The development implies that 1,009,197 subscribers may face possible suspension by telecommunication service providers for three months after the December 31, 2023, deadline.
“There has been a substantial increase in registrations since the last update on November 30, 2023, rising from 43% to the current 57.6%. This indicates a positive trend in registration.” CRAN CEO, Emilia Nghikembua said.
“When a SIM card is not registered by the deadline of December 31, 2023, it will be deactivated. However, consumers will have a grace period of three months from the deactivation date to register their SIM card and retain their mobile number. During this three-month suspension period, the number remains associated with the consumer’s account, allowing them an opportunity to complete the registration process.”
The impending suspension of unregistered SIM cards by the end of this month has raised concerns among banks, which argue that the development will adversely impact service delivery and the general performance of banks.
Mobile operators have also issued warnings about significant financial losses due to the December 31 deadline for mandatory SIM card registration, a deadline that the government insists will not be extended.
The SIM card registration initiative is a national effort aimed at facilitating the investigation of crimes committed with the aid of mobile devices.
