The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has denied experiencing any system downtime, despite growing frustration among Nigerian telecom subscribers who say they are unable to complete SIM swap requests due to a persistent failure of the NIN verification portal.
Over the past two weeks, many mobile users across networks like MTN and Airtel have reported being locked out of essential services such as SIM recovery and number reactivation—a process that requires successful National Identification Number (NIN) verification under Nigeria’s security framework.
Francis Onwu, one of the many affected subscribers, took to X (formerly Twitter) to share his ordeal after his phone was stolen. “Each time I visit MTN and Airtel Nigeria, they tell me there is a downtime with the NIN portal,” he wrote, tagging both providers in a bid for help.
Airtel Nigeria, in response, acknowledged the issue, stating: “Please be informed that the National Identity Number portal is currently unavailable. This is temporarily affecting our ability to process SIM swap requests on the Airtel network.” MTN also issued similar notices, prompting confusion and concern from thousands of subscribers.
However, in an exclusive statement to our correspondent, NIMC’s Head of Corporate Communications, Kayode Adegoke, categorically dismissed claims of a backend issue. “Our portal is up and running. It’s the same portal that other critical agencies are using for verification and modification,” he explained.
According to NIMC, the commission had concluded a scheduled technical maintenance last week and subsequently restored full service access nationwide. A public statement issued at the time read, “NIMC wishes to inform the general public that the recent technical maintenance has been completed and all services have been restored.”
Still, on-ground experiences tell a different story. Telecom operators reportedly continue to face access disruptions, leaving subscribers stranded and potentially vulnerable—especially in urgent cases involving lost or stolen phones.
Telecom industry experts speculate that while NIMC’s main server may be operational, integration glitches or bandwidth issues between the portal and telcos’ internal systems could be contributing to the perceived “downtime.” Another theory points to high-volume traffic on the NIN portal, which may be slowing response time and causing timeouts during SIM swap processing.
Meanwhile, NIMC is urging the public to explore alternative channels to verify their NINs. It recommends using its self-service portal and the NameAuth app—available on Google Play Store and Apple App Store—to perform basic NIN verifications and authentication.
Despite these measures, users remain caught in the crossfire of Nigeria’s tech-reliant identity system. The incident highlights the fragility of the digital infrastructure supporting the country’s national security-driven telecom reforms.
SIM registration, swap, and recovery protocols were tightened in Nigeria following a surge in identity theft and phone-linked fraud. Under current NCC guidelines, every mobile number must be linked to a unique NIN—a policy aimed at curbing criminal activity but whose execution remains plagued with service bottlenecks.
As pressure mounts, stakeholders are calling for improved coordination between NIMC and telecom providers to ensure uninterrupted digital identity services for over 220 million Nigerians.