Uganda Law on Using Another Person’s SIM Card
In short, here's what you'll discover in this article: Uganda’s Regulation 29 makes it an offence to use a SIM registered in another person’s name for an illegal purpose. It also places a clear duty on every user to ensure that the SIM they use is registered in their own name. Here is what the rule means, the possible penalty, and what to do if your registration details are wrong.
Using a borrowed or wrongly registered SIM in Uganda can expose both the user and the registered owner to serious problems. The decisive legal issue is not merely who holds the phone. It is whose name appears in the operator’s subscriber records, what the SIM is used for, and whether the registration has been properly regularised.
⚠️ This article provides general information, not individual legal advice. If you are under investigation, have received threats, or believe your identity was used to register a line, contact a qualified Ugandan lawyer and the relevant authorities promptly.
What does Uganda’s law actually say?
Regulation 29 of Uganda’s Regulation of Interception of Communications Regulations, 2023 addresses the use of a SIM card registered in another person’s name. It contains two connected rules.
- Illegal use: a person who uses a SIM registered in another person’s name for an illegal purpose commits an offence.
- Personal responsibility: a SIM user must ensure that the card is registered in the user’s own name.
- Knowledge is presumed: the user is deemed to know the name under which the SIM is registered.
The wording matters. Regulation 29(1) links the criminal offence specifically to an illegal purpose. Therefore, it should not be paraphrased as saying that every brief, innocent use of another person’s phone automatically attracts the maximum penalty. However, Regulation 29(2) still creates a direct duty to ensure that the SIM you use is registered in your own name. “I did not know” is a weak defence because the regulation deems the user to know.
You can read the exact wording in the official Regulation of Interception of Communications Regulations, 2023. Regulation 29 appears near the end of the instrument.
What is the penalty for illegal use?
A person convicted under Regulation 29(1) may face imprisonment for up to three years, a fine of up to 50 currency points, or both. Under Uganda’s currency-point schedule, 50 currency points correspond to a maximum fine of UGX 1,000,000.
That is the penalty stated in Regulation 29 itself. The underlying conduct may also trigger separate offences if the line was used for fraud, threats, impersonation, extortion, harassment, unauthorised access, or another unlawful act. The exact exposure then depends on the facts and the other law applied by investigators or prosecutors.
💡 The safest reading is practical: do not keep using a line when the operator’s records identify somebody else as the subscriber. Correct the registration before the number becomes connected to a dispute or an investigation.
Does borrowing a phone break the law?
Borrowing someone’s handset to make an ordinary call is not the same factual situation as obtaining and routinely operating a SIM registered under another person’s identity. Regulation 29 focuses on the SIM registration and its use, especially when the purpose is illegal.
Still, regular or exclusive use of a line in another person’s name is risky. Subscriber records may initially lead an operator, regulator, or investigator to the registered owner. At the same time, the actual user cannot simply rely on the mismatch, because Regulation 29 says the user is deemed to know whose name is attached to the SIM.
| Situation | Legal or practical concern | Best action |
|---|---|---|
| You briefly use another person’s phone with permission | Not automatically the illegal-purpose offence described in Regulation 29(1) | Return the phone and avoid treating the SIM as your own line |
| You routinely use a SIM registered to a relative or friend | The registration does not match the real user, contrary to the duty in Regulation 29(2) | Ask the operator to re-register or replace the line |
| You buy a pre-activated SIM from an unofficial seller | The subscriber identity may be false, stolen, or unknown | Do not use it; visit an authorised operator outlet with valid ID |
| Your lost SIM remains active | Another person could use a line still associated with your identity | Block it immediately and request a replacement |
| A mismatched SIM is used for an illegal purpose | Regulation 29(1) may apply, alongside other possible offences | Stop using it and obtain legal advice promptly |
Why SIM ownership matters in a real investigation
Uganda’s communications regulator has recently shown how subscriber records can become part of an investigation. In a statement dated September 28, 2026, the Uganda Communications Commission said it had directed Airtel Uganda and MTN Uganda to provide subscriber information linked to numbers relevant to a complaint involving unwanted calls.
The UCC stated that one identified Airtel line was registered in the complainant’s name, while another MTN line was registered to a different person. The regulator also said the operators and their staff could be required to assist as witnesses. This does not by itself determine anyone’s guilt. However, it shows that the registered identity, the actual user, operator records, and the purpose of the communications can all be examined separately.
Read the regulator’s account in the official UCC statement regarding the arrest and prosecution of Charles Nsubuga.
What should you do if the SIM is not in your name?
Act before the line is lost, blocked, or linked to conduct you cannot explain. The exact process differs by operator, but the following sequence is sensible:
- Stop treating the SIM as your personal line. Do not use it for banking, account recovery, confidential messages, or identity verification.
- Contact the mobile network operator. Use an authorised service centre or an official support channel, not an informal street seller.
- Bring valid identification. Ask the operator to verify the registered subscriber and explain whether ownership can be transferred or whether a new SIM is required.
- Secure important accounts. Move recovery codes and two-factor authentication to a number you lawfully control.
- Report misuse. If the SIM was stolen, fraudulently registered, or used for threats or fraud, report the facts to the operator and the appropriate authorities. Preserve messages, call logs, receipts, and reference numbers.
⚠️ Do not ask the registered owner to make a false declaration, lend you their ID, or pretend to be the active user. That can make the situation worse and may create additional legal or identity risks.
Can a travel eSIM reduce the risk?
For a visitor who only needs mobile data in Uganda, a travel eSIM can remove the temptation to borrow an unknown or pre-activated local SIM. You purchase and manage the plan through your own account, then install it on a compatible device. An eSIM is not a licence to hide your identity or use communications illegally, but it can offer a cleaner alternative to using a physical line registered to somebody else.
Compare the eSIM plans currently available for Uganda before you travel:
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Before purchasing, confirm that your phone supports eSIM, is network-unlocked, and covers the areas you plan to visit. Keep the purchase confirmation and account details associated with your own identity.
How can the registered owner protect themselves?
If a SIM registered in your name is being used by someone else, do not ignore it merely because the user is a relative, employee, or friend. The number may still lead back to your subscriber record first.
- Ask the operator to list or verify the lines associated with your identity.
- Block any lost, stolen, or unknown line immediately.
- Request a written reference number for the complaint or change.
- Change passwords for accounts that rely on the number.
- Keep evidence showing when you lost control of the SIM.
- Report suspected fraud, threats, or impersonation to the appropriate authorities.
💡 A registration problem is easier to resolve at an operator’s service centre than during a police inquiry. Regularly check the lines associated with your identity and act quickly when something does not match.
Key takeaway
Uganda’s law places responsibility on the person using the SIM, not only on the name found in the operator’s database. Using another person’s registered SIM for an illegal purpose can lead to imprisonment, a fine, or both. Even when no illegal purpose is involved, the user still has a duty to ensure that the line is registered in their own name.
The practical rule is simple: use a SIM or eSIM that you lawfully control, obtain it through an authorised channel, verify the subscriber details, and report any mismatch without delay.
FAQ
Is it illegal to use another person’s SIM card in Uganda?
Regulation 29(1) makes it an offence to use a SIM registered in another person’s name for an illegal purpose. Regulation 29(2) also requires every user to ensure that the SIM they use is registered in their own name. Therefore, a mismatched registration should be corrected even when no crime was intended.
What is the punishment under Regulation 29?
The stated maximum is three years of imprisonment, a fine not exceeding 50 currency points, or both. Fifty currency points correspond to UGX 1,000,000 under the applicable schedule.
Can I use a SIM registered in my spouse’s or parent’s name?
Family permission does not change the subscriber record or remove the user’s duty under Regulation 29(2). If you routinely use the line as your own, contact the operator and ask how to transfer, re-register, or replace it.
What if I did not know whose name was on the SIM?
Regulation 29 says a SIM user is deemed to know the name under which the card is registered. Contact the operator to verify and correct the details rather than relying on lack of knowledge.
Is a travel eSIM exempt from Ugandan law?
No communications product creates an exemption from laws against fraud, threats, or other illegal conduct. A travel eSIM can, however, help a visitor avoid buying or borrowing a local physical SIM registered to someone else. Use an account and device that you lawfully control.
Passionate about travel and tech, I have combined these two worlds to help travelers understand the numerous options to get Internet access abroad and identify the best option for them. As a software development engineer, I put my skills at the service of simple, practical and transparent content. My goal is to give you all the keys to stay connected easily and at the best price during your trips. 🌍📲