An 11-digit electronic national identity card was rolled out by the Nigerian government that makes it mandatory for citizens to register their personal details along with photos, biometrics, and fingerprints. I
For the past 5-years, the government authorities were extending the deadline to link their phone numbers with the NIN database. And those who failed to do so by March 31st this year were barred from making outgoing calls.
Kenya tried this with Safaricom, the largest mobile telecom provider (in which the state is a large investor), and because the customer's m-Pesa mobile money accounts can't be accessed when the SIM is deactivated there was a "run on the bank" essentially.
After so many customers withdrew their funds Safaricom blinked and extended the deadline.
Kenya tried this with Safaricom, the largest mobile telecom provider (in which the state is a large investor), and because the customer's m-Pesa mobile money accounts can't be accessed when the SIM is deactivated there was a "run on the bank" essentially.
After so many customers withdrew their funds Safaricom blinked and extended the deadline.
Wow. 1/3rd of a large nation cut off from using telephony simply because they value their OpSec. (!!!)
A woman in the article switched to WhatsApp to place calls, so the lightning network will deffo work for these folks. Could you imagine introducing them to an app that does lots of things, such as payments, news, chat, etc., all over the lightning network right now?
https://news.trust.org/item/20220420123542-btwyo