SIM card registration deadline extended by 6 months

The Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) has now extended the SIM card registration deadline by six months to October 15, 2022.

The State agency said this is to ensure the network operators – namely Safaricom, Airtel and Telkom Kenya – meet their target of 100 per cent compliance with the Kenya Information and Communications Regulations 2015.

CA Director General Ezra Chiloba, in a statement to newsrooms on Friday, said the authority will – in the mean time – assess progress of the exercise on a monthly basis.

Chiloba stated that, upon lapse of the new deadline, network operators, as well as subscribers who will not have complied with the new directive, will be slapped with fines.

“So far, Safaricom PLC has reported 67 per cent compliance, Airtel Kenya 55 per cent while Telkom Kenya is at 33 per cent. In order to ensure that operators meet their obligation, the Authority has decided to extend the SIM card registration validation period for a further six (6) months. The new deadline for updating subscriber registration details will be 15th October 2022,” said the CA boss.

“During this period, the Authority will undertake monthly reviews to assess progress. At the expiry of the six (6) months, the Authority will further conduct a detailed compliance audit on each of the operators.”

He added: “Subsequently, any case of non-compliance with the SIM Card Registration Regulations 2015 by either the operators or subscribers will attract immediate penalties as laid out by law.”

Chiloba also said the decision for the extension was arrived at after taking into consideration concerns raised by the consumers as well as the operators’ readiness to ensure full compliance.

The authority added that it further needed to ensure the registration exercise also captured subscribers outside the country, those in rural and remote parts of the country, as well as the vulnerable population who may not be in a position to present themselves physically.