Take the case of a business owner who attempts to complete a critical bank transfer, only for the network to freeze.

Consider a student who joins an online lecture and suddenly disappears from the session because the connection collapses. Or perhaps, a trader waits endlessly for a Point-of-Sale transaction approval while impatient customers walk away.

For many, it has become an exhausting routine.

The irony is difficult to ignore. Nigeria’s telecom sector is undergoing one of its biggest modernisation drives in history, yet consumer dissatisfaction remains widespread. While operators continue to expand 4G and 5G networks and spend heavily on upgrades, users still complain that service quality often falls painfully short of expectations.

The truth is that today’s Nigerian telecom user demands far more than simple voice calls. Consumers expect smooth video conferencing, uninterrupted streaming, real-time digital payments, reliable cloud access, and fast browsing. But explosive data consumption is stretching existing infrastructure to its limits.

Many Nigerians adapt by adopting what has now become a national coping mechanism, the “multi-SIM survival strategy.”

It is increasingly common to find individuals carrying two, three, or even four SIM cards, constantly switching between networks in search of a stable signal. This growing dependence on multiple operators reflects declining consumer confidence in network consistency.

To be fair, the telecom industry is not ignoring the problem.

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), recognising that consumer patience has worn paper-thin, intensified its oversight of operators.

It introduced stronger consumer protection measures. The crown jewel of this enforcement era is the Consumer Compensation Framework, which officially took effect in April 2026.

Under the framework, telecom operators are required to compensate subscribers whenever service quality falls below approved performance benchmarks. Compensation comes in the form of airtime credits automatically issued to affected users in locations where disruptions occur.

Reports indicate that some subscribers have already received compensation messages from operators following previous service disruptions. While many consumers welcome the initiative, others argue that modest airtime credits cannot fully compensate for business losses, missed opportunities, or failed financial transactions caused by prolonged outages.

Still, the framework represents an important acknowledgement that consumer frustration has reached a critical point. At the same time, operators continue to spend aggressively on network expansion.

Industry reports indicate that telecom operators invested more than ₦2 trillion in infrastructure upgrades in 2025 alone. Tower infrastructure companies added hundreds of billions of naira in additional investments.

Thousands of network sites are being upgraded or newly deployed in 2026 as operators expand 4G and 5G coverage, modernise equipment, and improve fibre optic capacity.

The Federal Government is also known to be pursuing broader digital inclusion goals through plans to deploy additional rural telecom towers aimed at connecting millions of underserved Nigerians.

Yet the sector remains trapped in a difficult race. The reason is simple: infrastructure expansion is struggling to keep pace with Nigeria’s exploding appetite for data.

But, the challenges extend far beyond consumer demand.

One of the biggest threats to service quality is the persistent damage to fibre optic infrastructure. Road construction activities, vandalism, theft, and accidental cuts frequently disrupt fibre networks across the country, causing outages and severe network congestion.

In addition, power supply instability continues to undermine telecom operations. Because public electricity remains unreliable, operators depend heavily on diesel-powered generators and alternative energy systems to keep base stations running. This dramatically increases operational costs and creates additional vulnerabilities.

Industry players also complain about multiple taxation, high right-of-way charges, regulatory bottlenecks, and delays in obtaining deployment approvals from various government agencies.

These external pressures have combined to create a difficult operating environment, even as consumer expectations continue to rise.

It is thus clear that lasting relief will require deeper structural reforms.

The NCC’s intensified monitoring, combined with compensation penalties and aggressive upgrades, is delivering localised improvements in major cities.

Industry experts point to infrastructure sharing, both active and passive, as a smarter path forward, reducing duplication and speeding rural reach.

Moreover, initiatives like the Federal Government’s Project BRIDGE for nationwide fibre, alongside low-Earth-orbit satellite solutions for hard-to-reach areas, offer real promise.

Undoubtedly, urgent legislative action is needed, too: classifying telecom infrastructure as Critical National Infrastructure to deter vandalism with serious federal penalties, alongside uniform, affordable Right of Way policies across states.

Ultimately, the telecom challenge is about more than technology. It is equally about trust.

Consumers want confidence that the money they spend on data and airtime will deliver dependable service.

Businesses want assurance that digital transactions will not collapse midway. Students want uninterrupted access to learning. Citizens want connectivity that supports productivity instead of frustrating it.

So, until the fifth bar becomes dependable, Nigerians will keep doing what they do best, adapting, rebooting routers, switching SIMs, and holding onto quiet hope for the day the signalling distress stops.

*Elvis Eromosele, a corporate communications expert and sustainability advocate, writes via: elviseroms@gmail.com

The proposal, detailed in a recent consultation paper titled “Stakeholders Consultation Process for the Telecoms Identity Risks Management Platform,” marks a significant shift in the Quality-of-Service (QoS) Business Rules.

​Under the leadership of Dr. Aminu Maida as the executive vice chairman, the Commission is seeking to bridge the communication gap between Telcos and subscribers, ensuring that users, both prepaid and postpaid, are not abruptly disconnected without sufficient warning.

The Mechanics of the Proposed Rule​

Currently, Section 2.3.1 of the QoS Business Rules allows operators to deactivate a line if it fails to generate revenue (Revenue Generating Event) for six months. If the inactivity persists for another six months, the number is typically recycled.

​The new amendment seeks to add a critical layer of transparency:

• ​Mandatory Alerts: Operators must send notifications via an alternative mobile line or email.
• ​Two-Week Window: This notice must be delivered at least 14 days prior to the final deactivation date.
• ​Data Integration: Following a churn, operators will be required to submit the details of the deactivated numbers to the newly proposed Telecoms Identity Risk Management System (TIRMS) within seven days.

​Driving Security through TIRMS

​At the heart of this regulatory review is the TIRMS, a secure, regulatory-backed platform designed to tackle the growing menace of fraud linked to recycled, swapped, or barred Mobile Station International Subscriber Directory Numbers (MSISDNs).

​By creating a centralized database for churned numbers, the NCC aims to provide a “uniform approach” for all sectors, particularly fintech and banking, to verify the integrity of registered mobile numbers. This is expected to significantly reduce identity theft and unauthorized access to financial accounts linked to recycled SIMs.

​Techeconomy’s take is that the NCC 14-Day SIM Deactivation Notice move reflects a growing global trend of RegTech (Regulatory Technology) integration.

By moving beyond simple deactivation and into active risk management via TIRMS, the Commission is addressing a major vulnerability in Nigeria’s digital economy: the ghost identity of recycled numbers.

​For subscribers, this provides a vital safety net. For the ecosystem, it adds a layer of KYC (Know Your Customer) validation that has been a friction point for digital service providers.

​What’s Next?

The Commission has opened the floor for stakeholder engagement, in line with Section 58 of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003. Industry players and the public have until March 20, 2026, to submit comments on the proposed framework before it is codified into law.

Why?

Statistics around global plastic production is staggering. It has exceeded 400 million tonnes annually, which demonstrates that plastic pollution remains an urgent challenge.

More than half of it is designed for single use which was the message this World Environment Day 2025 was trying to convene – urgent need to beat plastic pollution.

This issue touches every sector. Telecommunications is no exception. While mobile operators are typically associated with connectivity, the industry has a legacy plastics problem hiding in plain sight. In 2020 alone, approximately 4.5 billion plastic SIM cards were produced globally.

These small plastic cards are widely used and rarely recycled. Many end up in landfills or as litter. Others are incinerated, contributing to emissions. They are not the most visible source of waste, but they are a meaningful one, and entirely avoidable.

The bioSIM agenda:

“At MTN, we have taken a deliberate step to reduce this form of plastic waste”. In 2024, MTN introduced bioSIMs, SIM cards made from 100% biodegradable, FSC-certified paper.

“They perform exactly like plastic SIMs but break down naturally when discarded. No harmful residue. No microplastic. Just responsible design, built for a more sustainable future”, the Group explained.

The rollout began in Rwanda and expanding across other markets. It is a practical innovation grounded in science, not sentiment.

And while it won’t solve plastic pollution on its own, it is part of a larger, necessary shift in how telecoms, and business at large, approach environmental responsibility.

Africa has a central role in this conversation. The continent contributes just 3–4% of global greenhouse gas emissions, yet it faces some of the worst consequences of climate change. At the same time, Africa is grappling with an accelerating waste challenge.

By 2060, annual plastic waste in sub-Saharan Africa is projected to reach 116 million tonnes, a sixfold increase from 2019. The region’s rapid urbanisation and insufficient waste infrastructure make it highly vulnerable to both climate and pollution shocks.

“It’s essential. Every tonne of plastic avoided reduces long-term risk, for people, infrastructure, and the planet. Our bioSIMs are part of a broader commitment at MTN to embed sustainability across our operations. As the UNEP reminds us, the solutions are available. What we need now is implementation at scale. Scaling starts with design.

“The average SIM card may weigh just four grams, but multiplied across millions of users, the footprint grows quickly. A small change in design, if adopted broadly, can remove tonnes of plastic from the supply chain each year. That’s the logic behind our (MTN) bioSIM. It is efficient, cost-effective, and fundamentally better for the environment.

“We are also expanding eSIM adoption, which removes the need for a physical card altogether. Combined, these efforts enable our customers to reduce their impact through the choices they make every day. That is where real momentum lies, not just in corporate strategy, but in shifting consumer norms”, MTN posted on its website, stressing the commitment to being part of that change, starting with how they connect the communities they serve.

The case, which is currently before the High Court of Kenya’s Constitutional and Human Rights Division, could affect how major corporations engage with their smaller partners.

Goodweek, which has operated as a Safaricom dealer since 2002, claims it was effectively pushed out of the network after refusing to sign a contract with unfavourable terms. 

The company sold M-PESA services, SIM cards, and Safaricom products at its outlets in Nairobi, Migori, and Homa Bay counties. However, it lost access to Safaricom’s dealer portal in April 2024 after failing to renew its contract.

While Safaricom argues that the contract lapsed naturally, Goodweek insists that the renewal process was deliberately designed to put dealers at a disadvantage. The company claims the telco used its dominant position to impose tough conditions, making it impossible for merchants to negotiate better terms. 

As part of its legal strategy, Goodweek has also named Vodafone Plc, Vodafone Kenya Limited, and Mobitelea Ventures Limited as respondents in the case, arguing that the issue extends beyond just Safaricom.

Safaricom, in its defence, maintains that all dealers operate under the same contractual terms and that over 400 others renewed their agreements without issue. The telecom giant states that its “Online Dealer Trading Portal’s automated shut-down response is a safeguard mechanism designed to ensure compliance with regulatory and contractual obligations.” 

It further argues that Goodweek had ample notice to renew its agreement and that the case should have gone to arbitration rather than court, as stipulated in the contract.

Goodweek, however, insists that its removal was not a simple procedural matter but rather an example of Safaricom using its influence to dictate one-sided agreements. 

The company views this case as an opportunity to challenge the power dynamics between large telecom firms and smaller dealers. If the court rules in its favour, the decision could set a precedent for how dominant companies interact with their business partners in Kenya’s telecommunications sector.

This is not the first time Safaricom has faced a class action lawsuit. In recent years, the company has been taken to court over various consumer-related issues. In 2022, businessman Abdi Zeila sued Safaricom and the Communications Authority of Kenya over SIM-swap fraud, inviting other victims to join the case. 

That same year, another lawsuit accused the company of forcing subscribers to sign a data privacy statement that allegedly gave Safaricom access to their bank details. In 2023, a separate class action suit allowed millions of Safaricom users to challenge a clause in the SIM card registration process over concerns about data privacy.

With past legal issues and now a dispute with its dealership network, Safaricom finds itself at the centre of yet another controversy.

Before we discuss the differences, let me share a personal experience. Realising that Point of Sales (PoS) machines and Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) utilize SIM Cards has kept my brain wondering how this works; are they normal SIM Cards? Where and how exactly are they placed? These and many more questions are trooping in my head.

As a TechEconomy reader, you might know this already; maybe because you’ve handled a PoS Machine before or know someone who does, but some of us are still new to this knowledge. Sorting the discovery, the curiosity led to this piece, with appreciable answers coming through.

Let’s talk about the PoS Machines

The portable electronic Point of Scale terminal machine allows merchants and businesses to accept card credit or debit payments from customers, while mobile money agents can carry out banking services for customers, with commissions earned for each transaction.

Just like a phone, the PoS Machine requires a SIM Card to function, but is it a normal SIM? Yes!

MTN, Glo, Airtel and 9mobile’s SIM cards are used by PoS Machines but the processes are facilitated by fintech companies such as Interswitch and Etranzact.

But the kind of phones in question are those developed before inbuilt battery phones came about, whereby the back has a removable cover guiding the battery, SIM slot and other hardware ensuring proper functioning of the phone.

The PoS device is similar to this and when the back cover is removed, you see a SIM slot, battery and others.

It is mostly advised that the kind of SIM Cards to be inserted into a PoS device should be the standard SIM, rather than the micro or NANO SIM. This is to avoid complications with the device.

Once the SIM, which should have data so you can perform transactions on the PoS terminal, is successfully inserted and the device switched on, the network shows up just like it does on the phone.

That’s not all. You can also recharge these SIM Cards directly from the device, using a top-up app or menu provided to you. All you have to do is enter the mobile number and country code, select a mobile service provider and enter an amount.

Now the ATMs

It could have been easy to comprehend PoS terminals using Sim Cards, but ATMs? How? The answer is simply, the SIM cards are for connectivity without which it will be difficult for the ATM to interact with the switching systems and the core-banking applications. In other words, without SIM cards, it will be almost impossible for you to withdraw your money from the ATM.

Maybe you have had the experience; the ATM witnesses network failure in the middle of you trying to withdraw money. This could be caused by many factors, but mostly due to network failure; meaning the SIM card couldn’t connect to the network provider.

Active telephone subscribers vs active subscriptions – The difference

That brings me to the differences between telephone subscriptions and subscribers. Most times, people mistake ‘active subscriptions’ for ‘active subscribers’ and vice versa.

According to Lawinsider.com telephone subscriber or ‘subscriber’ means “a person or entity to whom exchange telephone service, either residential or commercial, is provided and in return for which the person or entity is billed on a monthly basis. When the same person, business, or organization has several telephone access lines, each exchange access facility constitutes a separate subscription”.

In other words, when you read about ‘active telephone subscriptions in Nigeria’, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) refers to the total number of Smartphones, ATMs, PoS, and other communication gadgets that use SIM Cards whereas the ‘active telephone subscribers’ refer to the total number of individuals who are registered users of SIM Cards. For example, First Bank of Nigeria Limited could have 3,000 ATMs with each of them infused with two SIM Cards. Invariably, the ATMs account for 6,000 active telephone subscriptions.

Okay, you as an individual (active subscriber) have MTN, Glo, Airtel, 9Mobile, Spectranet, Smile Communications or VDT SIM Cards; if all of them are connected or in use, then, they become part of the active telephone subscriptions.

For example, Nigeria’s active telephone subscriptions ballooned to 201,670,650 million as of April 2022. Techeconomy reported it.

Now, the population of Nigeria hit 217,219,618 as of Sunday, September 4, 2022, based on Worldometer elaboration of the latest United Nations data. If you minus 201,670,650 from 217,219,618 you will have 15,548,968 and we know that can’t be the number of people without connectivity in Nigeria considering the fact we have cities without any form of connectivity yet in some parts of the country.

So, let no one confuse you again when discussing active telephone subscriptions and active telephone subscribers.

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