CEO of MTN Nigeria, Mr Ferdi Moolman has disclosed that “To date, over 37.2 million subscribers have submitted their NINs, representing 48.7% of our subscriber base. We are working with NIMC to complete bulk verification of the NINs collected. This requires improved integration with the NIMC database, the development of which has reached an advanced stage.
To support the Federal Government’s effort to ensure that every Nigerian has a valid NIN, we have been granted a NIN enrolment licence and have commenced enrolment in 36 centres across the country. We are also working with NIMC and the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy to expand our enrolment centres and provide an access point for as many Nigerian as possible. To this end, we have acquired over 15,000 enrolment devices, which are being configured for this purpose, and placed orders for additional ones.
The impact on service revenue of the new SIM activation suspension was minimal in Q4 2020, though, we anticipate that subscriber growth will be significantly impacted in Q1 2021 should it remain in place. In the near-term, we expect the service revenue impact of the suspension to be moderate as usage is primarily driven by active SIMs in our base.
Business Hilights recalls that on 9 December 2020, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) suspended the sale and activation of new SIMs, and on 15 December 2020 directed all operators to update SIM registration records with valid NINs with an initial deadline of 30 December 2020. While suspension of new subscriber acquisition continues, the deadline for NIN update has been extended to 6 April 2021 to accommodate logistical challenges.
We are collaborating with the NCC and National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to ensure our subscriber records are updated, and we have made significant progress in this regard.
The operating environment remains challenging and uncertain due to the effects of the pandemic. We remain focused on the safety and wellbeing of our staff, customers and broader stakeholders, as well as mitigating supply chain challenges, while safeguarding our financial and liquidity position. While we continue to manage the attendant risks and support our stakeholders, however, we are also well placed to unlock the opportunities that have risen in the areas of financial inclusion along with the rising demand for connectivity and digitalisation. We continue to refine our strategy to make our operating model future-fit to adapt to a dynamic world for sustainable growth.
In view of the new directive on SIM registration, our immediate priority is to protect our base by collaborating with NIMC to drive NIN enrolment and ensure that our customers’ records are updated with NINs.
We remain focused on our MoMo business given the important role it plays in driving financial inclusion in the country. We continue to engage with the CBN regarding obtaining a Payment Service Bank (PSB) licence, which would help to accelerate this ambition of broadening financial participation and inclusion. In the meantime, we will continue to expand the agent network through our one distribution model, broaden our service offerings and drive the overall contribution of our core fintech business to service revenue.
We will fast track 4G sites rollout to further increase population coverage, while continuing to expand rural coverage. Although the availability of foreign exchange remains a constraint, we strive to minimise its impact on the business. We will sustain our drive for cost management across the business and strengthen our operations and financial position to unlock efficiency and support margins.
