The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications, Sylvia Owusu-Ankomah, has called for careful planning and broad stakeholder consultation ahead of the country’s upcoming nationwide SIM re-registration exercise, warning that lessons from previous exercises must be fully incorporated to avoid a repeat of the challenges that frustrated consumers in the past.

Her remarks come after Cabinet approved a new nationwide SIM registration exercise aimed at strengthening subscriber identification and improving regulatory oversight within the telecommunications sector.

Ghana has already undertaken two major SIM registration exercises, the first in 2011 and another more recent effort that introduced stricter identification requirements for mobile subscribers.

However, those exercises were marked by long queues, technical difficulties and widespread public frustration, raising concerns about how effectively such programmes can be implemented.

Madam Owusu-Ankomah said it was essential that authorities draw on those experiences to ensure that the upcoming registration process is smoother and more efficient.

Need for thorough preparation

Speaking in an interview, she revealed that the telecommunications industry has already been briefed on the government’s intentions through engagements with the Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations and the National Communications Authority (NCA).

According to her, operators within the sector remain ready to support the government’s plans to strengthen the national identification ecosystem.

However, she stressed that the legislative framework governing the exercise must first be finalised and approved by Parliament before implementation begins.

“We will support government efforts to ensure Ghana maintains a robust ID system,” she said.

“However, we want the process to be transparent and mindful of the difficulties encountered during past registration exercises so that consumers are not faced with unnecessary chaos and discomfort.”

Madam Owusu-Ankomah emphasised that past challenges—particularly the long queues experienced at registration centres and the technological inefficiencies that slowed the process—must be addressed through careful planning.

“We have seen the long queues and frustration that arose before,” she noted.

“The minister has made it clear that we must avoid repeating those mistakes. The Chamber is ready to collaborate with the NCA on an implementation plan, but first, the legislative instrument must be passed.”

She added that mobile network operators are supportive of efforts aimed at strengthening subscriber identification but cautioned that the success of the exercise will depend largely on how effectively it is structured and implemented.

SIM registration not a cure-all for fraud

Beyond operational concerns, Madam Owusu-Ankomah also cautioned against the widespread perception that SIM registration alone will eliminate fraud in the country.

According to her, the nature of fraud currently affecting Ghana’s telecommunications and mobile financial services sector is largely driven by social engineering schemes, where fraudsters manipulate individuals into revealing confidential information.

In such schemes, criminals typically impersonate trusted individuals or institutions—such as bank officials, telecom staff or mobile money agents—and trick victims into disclosing sensitive details such as their personal identification numbers (PINs).

She stressed that protecting such confidential information remains the most effective way for consumers to safeguard themselves against fraud.

“SIM registration is not going to be a silver bullet that stops fraud,” she explained.

“The nature of fraud that we are currently experiencing as a country is mostly based on social engineering schemes. These are legitimate individuals who call you pretending to be somebody else and lead you into releasing your personal identity information or your personal identification number.”

Madam Owusu-Ankomah emphasised that consumers must treat their personal identification numbers with the highest level of confidentiality.

“Your PIN is sacred. To the extent that you protect your PIN, there shouldn’t be room for someone to defraud you,” she said.

Importance of consumer education

While SIM registration alone may not eliminate fraud, she noted that the process still plays an important role in strengthening accountability within the telecommunications ecosystem.

By linking SIM cards biometrically to the national identification database, authorities can trace the individuals responsible if a number is used for criminal activities.

This linkage, she explained, ensures that users can be identified and held accountable for activities carried out through their registered mobile numbers.

“What the SIM registration will do is to ensure that for every subscriber, your number is biometrically linked to the national ID database,” she said.

“That means if a SIM card is used to commit a crime, the user can be traced because the number is connected to a verified identity.”

However, she warned that the effectiveness of the system depends largely on the behaviour of consumers themselves.

She therefore urged the public to avoid purchasing pre-registered SIM cards, explaining that such practices undermine the purpose of the registration exercise and expose users to legal and security risks.

“If you acquire a SIM card that was registered by someone else and you use it without registering it in your name, any crime committed with that number could be linked back to you,” she warned.

Strengthening the telecom ecosystem

Madam Owusu-Ankomah said consumer education must therefore accompany the SIM re-registration exercise to ensure that subscribers understand both the benefits and responsibilities associated with owning a registered mobile number.

According to her, public awareness campaigns will be essential to encourage responsible use of SIM cards and to educate consumers on how to protect themselves from fraud.

She stressed that strengthening the telecommunications ecosystem requires cooperation among regulators, telecom operators and consumers.

As Ghana prepares to embark on its third nationwide SIM registration exercise, she expressed optimism that lessons from the past, combined with improved planning and public education, could help make the upcoming process more effective and less disruptive.

If properly implemented, she said, the exercise could enhance accountability, strengthen national identification systems and improve security within the country’s rapidly expanding digital economy.