2023 has been a whirlwind year for identity technology in Africa. More and more African countries are moving towards biometric technology for identification, and with that has come a slew of policies, some more controversial than others. 

One policy that continues to divide opinion across the continent is biometric SIM registration. On one hand, security professionals think it is a great idea because it mitigates the risk of prepaid phones being used for criminal activities. On the other hand, data protectionists think the collection of biometric data poses a data security risk to individuals citing a lack of data privacy laws across the continent and oppressive government regimes. But as in many cases, the truth lies closer to the center. 

The Case for SIM Registration

The majority of Africans rely on prepaid SIM cards to access mobile services. 94% of mobile connections on the continent are made via prepaid SIMs — the highest of any continent. Prepaid cards make sense for Africans because they are affordable, accessible, and flexible. You can typically get a brand-new SIM card on any street in major cities for less than $2 and, in some countries, as low as 20 cents. SIM card affordability and accessibility, as well as a perception of network providers as being unreliable, have also created a culture of owning multiple SIM cards. 

Source: GSMA

Criminals also take advantage of cheap, accessible SIM cards to conduct their activities, including terrorist attacks, money laundering, and fraud. SIM swap fraud, in particular, is a significant challenge associated with prepaid cards. SIM cards are an access point to financial services for many Africans who rely on USSD banking or mobile money. A fraudster with substantial information on a victim can call their phone carrier and try to trick them into activating a SIM card under the pretense that they lost their original SIMs. Once activated, the scammer can use the SIM to access the victim’s financial accounts.

The reason most governments give for SIM registration is simple. If a SIM is registered to a known individual, it is less likely to be used to commit fraud. In the event that a SIM is used to commit a crime, it can be traced to the individual for proper investigation. The risk of SIM swap fraud is greatly reduced with biometric SIM registration as the scammers will have to provide biometric information, which is incredibly hard to fabricate, to convince network providers to activate a SIM for them.

SIM Registration Trends Across Africa

Countries across the world generally require residents and citizens to register SIM Cards, more so in Africa where 50 of 52 countries have regulations to that effect. During registration, subscribers are typically required to provide personal information like their full name, date of birth, home address, and a valid government ID.

In recent years, some African countries have passed regulations mandating the collection of biometric data during SIM registration. Some, like Nigeria and Ghana, have gone a step further to require residents and citizens to link their SIM cards to their foundational digital identity. A refusal to comply with the registration requirements usually leads to strict repercussions. Across the continent, over 80 million SIM cards have been temporarily or permanently blocked for non-registration according to publicly available data.

Registration May Marginalize Communities

While great in theory, SIM registration policies come with some downsides. One of the most prominent of these is the potential exclusion of marginalized groups from economic activities. In most countries, proof of ID is a minimum requirement for SIM registration. According to a World Bank FINDEX report in 2019, Women were 9% less likely to have an ID than men in Subsaharan Africa. This potentially means tens of millions of women being unable to own SIM cards and access financial services on their own. 

The situation gets even more grievous for refugees and foreigners whose ID documentation processes are not usually prioritized. The top five refugee-hosting countries in Africa require proof of ID for SIM registration and offer mobile money services. 

Safety concerns around the handling of biometric data

Data protection is an ongoing concern across Africa. With the increasing collection of personal data, especially biometric data,  for SIM registration, the concerns have only aggravated. On paper, data protection has improved on the continent with over 70% of African countries effecting laws or regulations to that effect as of 2023.  Many of the policies are recent and yet to be enforced leaving a legal vacuum for organizations to operate in.

Telcos are typically charged with handling SIM registration and biometric data collection, but there isn’t sufficient clarity over what they can and cannot do with the data. MTN, the continent’s biggest network provider has also revealed plans to start biometric data collection in Guinea Bissau and Liberia, two countries without data protection laws. Mobile Telecommunications Company (MTC), Namibia’s main telco has continued to mandatorily collect biometric data from subscribers despite a lack of data protection laws and the government announcing that it was an optional requirement.

The biggest concern critics have, however, is the likelihood of privacy abuse by government agencies. SIM registration laws give unfiltered database access to most governments across Africa, allowing them to potentially track and monitor citizens. Using their biometric registration data, governments can quite easily set up surveillance on unsuspecting citizens, monitoring everything from communication to finance. As many African administrations don’t have a stellar track record for upholding human rights, there are fears that governments may set up surveillance on minority groups, journalists, activists, and other groups likely to dissent. 

Conclusion:

With great power comes great responsibility. When quizzed about the potential risks associated with biometric sim registration, government administrators often point to their responsibility for national security as a trump card. Valid as it is, governments also have a responsibility to protect the privacy of their citizens. Ultimately the answer to the question of whether biometric SIM registration is problematic depends on how much value African leaders place on data protection. More countries are passing data laws, a sign that we’re moving in the right direction. Whether or not these laws will be enforced, especially for government agencies, remains to be seen.