HOW I LOST ₦120,000 TO A DAMAGED SIM

Hey Steemit Fam,

I need to share something that's been weighing on me. Recently, I had a rough experience with a data purchase that didn’t go as planned, and I know a lot of us are dealing with our own challenges. But this one hit hard.

Let me tell you how I lost a 120,000 naira data bundle, of which 100,000 naira wasn’t even mine.

The SIM Struggle:

I have SIM cards from all four major networks: MTN, Airtel, Glo, and Etisalat. Two of them stay in my little 'torchlight' phone, and the other two are in my browsing phone. I hardly take them out.

But with data prices soaring in Nigeria, I’ve been switching them around depending on which network I can afford. That’s just how many Nigerians are rolling these days, calculating every naira before buying data.

One day, while looking for deals online, I found a vendor selling huge data bundles at great prices.

📌 Making a Plan:

I shared the find with five friends, and we all pitched in ₦20,000 each, totaling ₦120,000 for 1 terabyte of data. We set the activation date for May 1st.

Then, everything fell apart.

📌 My Costly Mistake:

On the day I found that vendor, I had taken out my MTN SIM and accidentally left it on my bed. It ended up on the floor. I take full blame for that. That MTN line was supposed to handle our 1TB subscription.

On April 29th, I finally found the SIM under my bed after some searching. I put it back in my WiFi device, nothing. Tried my phone, still nothing. I posted about it, and someone replied; “That SIM is damaged.”

My heart dropped.

📌 The Real Heartbreak:

You might think, “Just do a SIM swap.” But here’s the kicker. That SIM wasn’t registered in my name.

The actual owner wouldn’t give me his NIN, no matter how much I begged. Even with all that money at stake, he wouldn’t budge.

I tried everything to convince him, but he was firm. He said, even if I begged him to death,he wouldn’t give me his NIN. And just like that, I’m stuck with a debt of ₦100,000.

📌 What Now?

This too shall pass, or maybe it won’t. Honestly, I don’t know. But I've learned some tough lessons:

📌 Register your SIMs in your name.
📌 Back up important contacts and documents.
📌 Never put others’ money on the line without full control.
📌 Double-check before making big decisions.

Life in Nigeria is tough enough. Let’s not let more hardships come our way.

Thanks for reading! If you’ve been through something like this, feel free to share your story in the comments. Let’s chat!