A Nigerian man has accused telecommunications operator T2mobile, formerly known as 9mobile, of reassigning his long-standing phone number to another customer, allegedly exposing his bank accounts, social media profiles and other personal information to unauthorised access.
The man, identified on social media as Alvin of Lagos, shared his experience in a video circulating on TikTok, claiming that someone gave the phone number he had used for nearly a decade to another person without his knowledge.
According to Alvin, he acquired the SIM card while he was still in secondary school and had maintained the number for approximately eight to nine years. Over that period, it became his primary contact number for schoolmates, friends, financial institutions and several online services.
Despite experiencing persistent network problems with 9mobile, now operating as T2mobile, he said he continued using the number because of its importance to his personal and financial activities.
He explained that the network frequently became unavailable, while mobile data services were largely unreliable. However, abandoning the number was not an option, as it was linked to more than five bank accounts, WhatsApp, his Apple iCloud account and several social media platforms.
How Alvin Allegedly Lost Access to His 9mobile Number
Alvin explained that the situation began after he travelled to Delta State and inadvertently left behind a smaller mobile phone containing the SIM card at his family home.
Since the device was in a secure location, he reportedly had no reason to believe that the phone number itself was at risk.
However, he later discovered that the number had allegedly been reassigned to another subscriber.
The situation became particularly concerning when the new user reportedly began requesting verification codes for online accounts associated with the phone number.
According to Alvin, the individual attempted to access his Apple iCloud account and initiated verification requests involving TikTok, Instagram and other platforms.
He claimed that the situation forced him to abandon his previous iCloud account and create another one because he believed the security of the original account had been compromised.
The incident also raised questions about the registration details associated with the phone number.
Alvin said he was unsure how another individual could have obtained the number without the appropriate National Identification Number (NIN) registration. He also questioned whether the SIM was still linked to his NIN or had been registered under the new user’s identity.
However, he acknowledged that he had no confirmation of the current registration details.
Claims Financial Losses and Unauthorised Bank Transactions
Beyond the difficulties accessing his online accounts, Alvin claimed that the incident had caused financial losses and considerable inconvenience.
He explained that he had visited his banks repeatedly in an attempt to secure his accounts and resolve the problems associated with the phone number.
Despite those efforts, he alleged that money was withdrawn from one of his accounts through a method he had yet to identify.
He also offered to provide screenshots of the transactions to support his claims if requested.
The circumstances surrounding the reported withdrawals remain unclear, and there is currently no independently verified evidence establishing a direct connection between the alleged SIM reassignment and the financial losses.
Alvin is now appealing to T2mobile to investigate the matter and clarify whether there is a way to recover his original phone number.
@alvinodiboglam1♬ original sound – THE ALVINOFLAGOS OFFICIAL 1
What Nigerian Subscribers Should Know About SIM Reassignment
Mobile number recycling is a practice used by telecommunications operators to return disconnected or inactive numbers to circulation after applicable conditions have been met.
In Nigeria, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) regulates telecommunications services, including subscriber registration and the management of mobile numbers. Consequently, a prepaid mobile line that fails to generate revenue for a continuous period of six months must be deactivated. If the inactivity continues for another six months, the line becomes available for recycling under the NCC’s Quality of Service Business Rules 2024.
Nevertheless, the reassignment of a number that remains active or is still legitimately held by its original subscriber raises different concerns, particularly when the number is associated with financial services and digital accounts.
A phone number can serve as a means of identity verification across several platforms. If reassigned or recycled, a new holder may receive SMS messages or one-time passwords intended for the previous subscriber. This does not automatically grant access to the previous owner’s accounts, but it can create security vulnerabilities where SMS-based authentication or account recovery is enabled. This TheGuardian article highlights the exposure of Nigerians to cyber criminals through SIM recycling.
Subscribers are generally advised to keep important contact details updated, use stronger authentication methods where available, lock their SIM cards and promptly contact their mobile operators if they unexpectedly lose access to a phone number.
For now, Alvin’s allegations remain unverified, and the circumstances under which his number was reportedly reassigned have not been independently established.
His experience nevertheless highlights the potential consequences of losing control of a phone number that remains connected to important financial and digital services.
