Not many Ugandans pay attention to the names under which their SIM cards are registered until the eleeta manya ki part, the mobile money stage of confirming recipient names, when, every time you are asked, it is the unfamiliar name that takes the sender by surprise. It is even more surprising when the name is of the opposite gender.
Given the systems in Uganda, there are several reasons why many users own SIM cards registered under different names, reflecting on mobile money.
From students who acquired their first SIM card using their parents’ or guardians’ national identification before getting their own, to adults who, for various reasons, do not or did not have identification cards to register a SIM card, many Ugandans fall into these categories. Having been one of them, the moment I received my national ID, the first thing I did was change the name under which my line and mobile money were registered to my own. Here is how I did it.
In the company of the person whose ID was initially used to register your sim card, walk to any Airtel Uganda Service centre, not a mobile money agent, and state your case.
Presenting both original IDs, yours and the other person’s, you will be asked to hand them over along with your mobile phone. In some cases, you might be required to write down your phone number.
You will then be asked a few questions to confirm that you are the rightful holder of the SIM and its Airtel Money. These questions may include the amount, time, and date of your last mobile money transaction, your recent airtime recharge, the length of time you have used the SIM card, and your mobile money balance.
If the person whose ID was used is no longer with us, taking along your ID and any supporting documents is the starting point. Airtel will help you sort out the name change.
In 10-15 minutes, depending on the pace of the agent at the service centre, your SIM registration and mobile money name will be updated to your own. This service is free on Airtel Uganda for both eSIM and physical SIM cards.
After the name change, everything else on the line, airtime, call, SMS, and internet bundles, and your mobile money balance, is unaffected.
