Telecom

Mauritanian Authorities Mandate Telecom Subscriber Identification to Enhance National Security

Mauritanian Authorities Mandate Telecom Subscriber Identification to Enhance National Security
Wednesday, 23 August 2023 18:23

Mauritania has 6.5 million active telecom users, according to the latest official data. The country wants to identify these users, in a bid to bolster national security amid a rapidly accelerating digital transformation.

In Mauritania, mobile service users have until October 6, 2023, to get their SIM registered. The deadline was recently announced by the Autorité de Régulation Multisectorielle (ARE), Mauritania’s telecom watchdog. Users who fail to comply with the measure by the set date will have their subscriptions suspended, warns the regulator.

To register their SIM cards, users will need a valid ID which they will present at any of the operators’ commercial branches.  The process will also involve recording the biometric data of the individual.

The push for registration aligns with the implementation of Decision No. 0038 by the National Regulatory Council (CNR), regarding the sale of SIM/USIM cards in the Islamic Republic of Mauritania. Adopted on April 6, the decision stipulates that the sale of SIM cards by telecom operators will be conducted exclusively through biometric identification of the buyer. It also mandates telecommunications operators to perform biometric identification of all their subscribers within six months.

The measure aligns with the Mauritanian government's determination to enhance "the security of the country and its citizens" in a context marked by increasing mobile fraud. According to the ARE, "efforts so far deployed to combat illicit practices in the sale and transfer of SIM cards have not yielded the expected results."

Isaac K. Kassouwi

On the same topic
• Algeria grants commercial 5G licenses to top three telecom operators: Mobilis, Djezzy, and Ooredoo • License award comes on stream as part of the...
MTN Nigeria launched a 100 million naira startup accelerator starting September The 12-week program offers funding, mentorship, and tech...
The MTN Nigeria Dabengwa Tier 3 Data Centre is more than just a physical infrastructure project — it’s a foundational investment in Nigeria’s digital...
Chad begins drafting a manual to implement its National Digital Health Program Aims to ease doctor shortages via telemedicine and digital...
Most Read
01

• Global coffee consumption projected to hit a record 169.4 million 60-kg bags in 2025/2026, up from...

Coffee: Global Consumption Expected to Reach Record Level in 2025/2026
02

• Algeria grants commercial 5G licenses to top three telecom operators: Mobilis, Djezzy, and Ooredoo...

Algeria Awards Commercial 5G Licenses
03

• Kenyan President William Ruto signs strategic partnership with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to b...

William Ruto in London: New Agreement Aims to Double Kenya-UK Trade by 2030
04

• Burkina Faso-based financial group, Vista Group Holding, has acquired a majority stake in Société ...

Burkina Faso: Vista Group Acquires Controlling Stake in Société Générale
05

• IFC teams up with AfDB and Nigeria’s EbonyLife to assess a new fund for African cinema• Sector cou...

IFC Plans Investment Fund to Help Grow African Film Industry
Enter your email to receive our newsletter

Ecofin Agency provides daily coverage of nine key African economic sectors: public management, finance, telecoms, agribusiness, mining, energy, transport, communication, and education.
It also designs and manages specialized media, both online and print, for African institutions and publishers.

SALES & ADVERTISING

Benjamin FLAUX
bf@agenceecofin.com 
Téls: +41 22 301 96 11 
Mob: +41 78 699 13 72
Média kit : Download

EDITORIAL
redaction@agenceecofin.com

More information
Team
Publisher

ECOFIN AGENCY

Mediamania Sarl
Rue du Léman, 6
1201 Geneva
Switzerland

 

Ecofin Agency is a sector-focused economic news agency, founded in December 2010. Its web platform was launched in June 2011. ©Mediamania.

 
 

Please publish modules in offcanvas position.