The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) says members of the public still have 12 months to register their SIM cards or face disconnection as mandatory registration will only begin from the 1st of January 2023.
“We wish to clarify that the commencement date for mandatory SIM Card Registration is 1 January 2023 and the last day will be 31 December 2023. The final date for registration is therefore not 31 December 2022. To this end, consumers still have 12 months to ensure registration with their mobile service providers. Unregistered SIM cards will be deactivated after 31 December 2023,†said CRAN Chief Executive Officer Emilia Nghikembua.
She said the regulator was satisfied with the current turnout of the public to register their SIM cards as part of the ongoing voluntary exercise.
“At this stage, we envisage that the registration of all SIM cards will be completed well within the mandatory timelines i.e., 31 December 2023,†Nghikembua said.
Mandatory SIM Card Registration is a policy adopted by several governments around the world as part of efforts to mitigate security concerns, address crime and enable the application of digital services.
