How to not lose your Nigerian mobile SIM number when you travel abroad
You can protect your number and ensure continuous access to all your important accounts and contacts.
Nothing feels more painful than realizing your mobile number has been deactivated just because you didn’t use it for a while. Maybe you traveled to another region, or switched SIMs and forgot about the old one because you didn’t need it at the time.
The danger of being deactivated is very real for Nigerians who live outside of Nigeria or who don't use their local SIM card very often. As things stand, a SIM card that isn't being used can be legally recycled and sold again after a certain amount of time. This means that you could lose access to important services like banking, your NIN, and WhatsApp.
Instead of letting your line go inactive and risk losing the number tied to your bank, business, and contacts, you can reserve it in advance. This keeps it from being recycled due to inactivity. All major networks in Nigeria allow you to do this for a fee, and in this article, you’ll learn how to retain your number on MTN and Airtel.
Oluwaseun Bamisile
How to Retain Your Line on MTN
Step 1. Dial *365#.
Step 2. Select your preferred duration (one year, two years, or three years) and press Send.
Step 3. Choose 1 to activate your selection.
How to Retain Your Line on Airtel
Step 1. Dial *494#.
Step 2. Select your preferred duration (one year, two years, or three years) and press Send.
This will confirm your selection and complete the process.
David Adubiina
Conclusion
In case you’re planning a long vacation or moving to another region or country for a while, the last thing you want is to come back and find your number recycled. By taking the steps in this guide, you can keep your line active and avoid losing access to your bank, business, or contacts.
Moreso, this can save you the stress of updating everyone with a new number or risking missed messages tied to your old line.
Image Credi: David Adubiina/Techloy.com
