• Congo regulator gives MTN, Airtel 2 more months for SIM checks
• Only 9% of SIMs properly registered; ID rules widely ignored
• Unverified SIMs raise fraud, cybercrime risks amid rising losses
  

The Electronic Post and Communications Regulatory Agency (ARPCE) has given mobile operators MTN and Airtel two more months to complete the registration of all SIM cards, in line with current regulations. The decision follows a study by the regulator, presented on Oct. 21, that revealed widespread non-compliance.

According to ARPCE data, only 9.13% of SIM cards were properly activated nationwide in 2025, down from 13.20% in 2024.

“Only the localities of Kinkala and Djambala have fully met the identification requirements,” said Benjamin Mouandza, ARPCE’s Director of Electronic Communications Networks and Services, quoted by the Congolese Information Agency (ACI). “In other cities, including Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, Dolisie, Ouesso, Pokola, Ngo, Tchamba-Nzassi, Madigou Kayes, Loudima, Bouansa, Loutété, and Nkayi, SIM cards are sold without proof of identity and are often pre-activated.”

The regulator said operators failed to verify buyers’ identities when SIM cards were purchased, allowing unregistered cards to circulate. The operators, for their part, blamed their distribution networks, saying that while they work with licensed distributors, those partners rely on resellers who sell pre-activated or unregistered SIM cards.

Both companies said they would penalize resellers that fail to follow identification rules. They also risk sanctions themselves. Last March, the regulator warned that penalties for repeat violations would exceed simple formal notices. Under current rules, operators can be fined up to 1% of their declared revenue from the previous fiscal year, a penalty that can double for repeat offenses.

Weak identity checks leave mobile networks vulnerable to fraud and cybercrime. Interpol reported in June that cyberattacks are intensifying across Africa as digital connectivity expands, particularly with the rise of mobile banking and e-commerce. Between 2019 and 2025, cybersecurity incidents on the continent caused financial losses exceeding $3 billion, according to the agency.

Isaac K. Kassouwi