What happens to your mobile money account if you lose the SIM?

The money is not lost. The account is tied to the number, not to the plastic — the SIM is only the means of using that number. Getting a replacement SIM on the same number leaves the account as it was.

Timing matters, though. If someone else holds the SIM they can read messages sent to that number — and the number plays a part in several processes, including PIN reset. So the first task is telling the operator to block the SIM, and the second is telling the provider.

Moving the account to a different number is not a routine process — the number *is* the account number. That is why the advice when opening one is to use a number you intend to keep for a long time.

Replacing the SIM means going to the operator’s care centre with your national ID, because nobody gets a SIM without proof of ownership. That check is what protects you — someone else cannot take out a SIM on your number.