The Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, has imposed a hefty fine of ₦104 million on Airtel Networks Limited over multiple breaches of SIM registration protocols in Kano State.
The sanction follows a comprehensive investigation that found the telecom operator guilty of disregarding previous warnings and engaging in practices that violated established regulatory standards.
This development was contained in an official Notice of Sanction issued on May 26, 2025, and addressed to the Chief Executive Officer of Airtel Nigeria.
The letter, signed by Chizua Whyte, Head of Legal & Regulatory Services, and Mohammed B. Dari, Acting Head of Compliance Monitoring & Enforcement, came after a series of earlier correspondences dating back to January 12, 2025.
The NCC had initially instructed Airtel to halt SIM registration activities involving third-party agents in Kano State due to concerns over compliance lapses.
A pre-enforcement notice was later sent on March 19, with a follow-up meeting held on March 27. Despite these interventions, the Commission found Airtel’s explanations insufficient and its operations in continued breach of telecom regulations.
Following further scrutiny, the NCC cited several infractions by Airtel, including the unauthorized use of 198 unapproved registration devices across the state, outside its 281 verified retail outlets. This led to 8,275 SIM registrations being conducted in violation of NCC guidelines.
More alarming, however, was the activation of 63 mobile numbers before proper registration procedures were completed. This contravened the Registration of Communications Subscribers Regulations 2022 and raised security concerns about identity verification lapses.
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Airtel was also found to have failed in its “eyeballing” responsibility — the mandatory physical verification of users’ identities. This oversight enabled 407 fraudulent SIM registrations linked to multiple National Identification Numbers , undermining national data integrity.
Additionally, the Commission flagged unexplained SIM registration activities occurring between midnight and 6:00 a.m., raising suspicions of deliberate non-compliance. Airtel failed to offer any credible justification for these late-night transactions.
For these violations, the NCC imposed the following penalties:
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₦5 million for failing to suspend third-party registrations using unauthorized equipment.
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₦12.6 million for the premature activation of 63 mobile numbers.
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₦81.4 million for poor identity verification resulting in fraudulent SIM linkages.
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₦5 million for unsatisfactory explanations regarding night-time registrations.
The regulator has given Airtel seven days from the notice date to pay the total fine of ₦104 million. It also issued a strong warning to the telecom operator, urging strict compliance with the Registration of Communications Subscribers Regulations 2022 and the Nigerian Communications (Enforcement Process) Regulations 2019.
As of the time this report was filed, Airtel Nigeria has not released a public statement addressing the NCC’s sanctions.
The Commission reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining the integrity of the nation’s telecommunications infrastructure and promised continued enforcement against any operator found violating regulatory standards.
The Conclave
