According to Techpoint Africa,
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has rolled out a new policy that prevents Nigerians under 18 from owning SIM cards, saying it’s to shield minors from legal issues around SIM usage.
Kids can still use phones, but any SIM has to be in a parent or guardian’s name, so adults will be on the hook for any issues. This rule’s been brewing since 2021 as part of NCC’s drive to tighten telecom security and streamline the industry, so it’s not a surprise for those tracking NCC’s regulations.
The new age cap lines up with Nigerian law, where the age of consent is 18, and, according to NCC, handling a SIM card is like entering a contract, meaning only adults should take on those responsibilities.
Beyond age limits, NCC has been pushing for cleaner subscriber data. Nigeria’s mobile user count took a big dive recently, going from 219 million subscribers in March 2024 to 153.32 million by September.
This drop came from enforcing the National Identification Number (NIN) linkage to SIMs and some data mishaps — like one network over-reporting active users by a whopping 40 million.
All in all, age limits seem to be the trend, from SIMs to university entries, marking a push towards more accountability and oversight. Whether it’s for better security or regulation, it’s changing how youth access services in Nigeria.
