As the clock struck midnight on Sunday, the deadline for SIM card registration officially lapsed, leaving thousands suspended. 

The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) says the registration process will continue until June, after which unregistered numbers will be made available for purchase by others.

Mobile homes had issued reminders and warnings repeatedly leading up to the cutoff date, urging citizens to comply with the registration requirement or risk having their SIM cards deactivated. 

Despite these efforts, reports indicate that a significant portion of the population failed to register their numbers on time.

CRAN's Executive Communication and Consumer Relations Officer, Mufaro Nesongano, emphasised the importance of SIM registration.

"As of April 1, 2024, any SIM cards that have not been registered are unfortunately disconnected. They will get registered, so between now and the end of June, any unregistered SIM cards will be inactive until registered. Thereafter, if they are not registered, they will be back in the pool of SIM cards, which anyone can purchase."

Nesongano explained what should happen in that instance.

"For those who have not registered their sim cards, all they have to do is go to their mobile homes, provide their name and surname, provide a residential address, and provide an ID, and after that, their sim card will be registered."

The public is urged to promptly register their SIM cards to prevent deactivation and the risk of losing their numbers post-June 2024.