Lilian, a Nigerian in Tunisia, says her life has been on hold since 2024 after she lost access to her MTN line and became trapped in a bureaucratic loop involving the telco and Nigeria’s communications regulator.
The Nigerian, who asked to be identified by her first name, told FIJ that when she arrived in Tunisia in 2025, she contacted MTN via email while her international passport was still valid, but the company requested an affidavit.
She explained to MTN that she had just arrived in Tunisia as a migrant and could not obtain an affidavit, but the network provider insisted it could not process her request without one.
“I contacted the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) at that point, but it took them a long time to respond. By the time they did, my international passport had already expired,” Lilian told FIJ.
“The NCC advised me to obtain an affidavit through the Federal High Court’s online portal, which I did and submitted. I was then asked to provide my passport, but it was no longer valid. I explained this and told them they had not given me an alternative in time.
“They said there was nothing they could do. I then asked if I could use my National Identification Number (NIN). At that time, I had not been in contact with my family. I also went to the Nigerian embassy in Tunisia for assistance, but they could not help me.”
Lilian said she has continued to lodge complaints with the NCC, but the commission told her it had identified a policy gap and would address it.
According to her, the gap affects Nigerians abroad who no longer have valid passports and are unable to access services when issues like SIM loss arise. Despite her repeated emails, she said neither MTN nor the NCC resolved her case.
“I need all the help I can get because my life is tied to that SIM Card. Everything I have is there. Please help me, FIJ,” said Lilian.
In response to FIJ’s query on March 4, MTN said SIM replacement is governed by NCC and NIMC regulations and requires a valid ID, NIN, affidavit and a proxy in Nigeria.
It added that while it supports Nigerians abroad, it must comply with regulatory requirements and cannot comment on individual cases.
