SIM card sales down in Accra

SIM card sales have declined in Accra since compulsory registration came into effect in the middle of June. As a result of a directive from the National Communications Authority all existing and new SIM cardholders are now obliged to register their cards, although those who already have cards have until 30 June 2011 to comply with the new regulations.

There have been delays in the new process because there are not enough registration points for buyers of new SIM cards. This has meant that new cards are not activated immediately, causing considerable customer dissatisfaction.

To register the cards it is necessary to provide some form of identification, such as a driving licence, passport, national health card or voting ID.

There are about 15 million mobile phone subscribers throughout the country. The main operators are Vodafone, MTN Ghana, Tigo and Zain, whose new owner, Bharti, recently announced that it is investing $200 million in the Ghana market. A licence has also been granted to Nigera