Nigeria’s telecommunications regulator has proposed a rule that would require mobile network operators to give subscribers at least 14 days’ notice before deactivating their lines, in a move that pairs consumer protection with a broader crackdown on fraud linked to recycled phone numbers.
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) outlined the proposal in a February 2026 consultation paper, framing it as a safeguard for both prepaid and postpaid users against sudden disconnection, a process known in the industry as churning, where an inactive or unpaid number is cut off and eventually reassigned.
Under the proposed amendments to the Quality-of-Service (QoS) Business Rules, operators would be required to alert affected subscribers through an alternative phone number or email before any disconnection takes effect. The mandatory warning must be sent no later than 14 days before the final churn date, covering both postpaid and prepaid customers alike.
The proposal is part of the rollout of the Telecoms Identity Risk Management System (TIRMS), a cross-sector platform that will allow financial and security regulators to track recycled phone numbers and prevent fraud linked to SIM card reassignment. Once operational, TIRMS will create a centralised database of churned, swapped, or barred Mobile Station International Subscriber Directory Numbers (MSISDNs), enabling verification across fintech firms, banks, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), and security agencies.
A memorandum of understanding with the CBN is being finalised to operationalise the system, which has been built and tested with telecom operators and will be hosted by the NCC.
Beyond the advance notice requirement, operators would also be required to upload details of all churned numbers to TIRMS within seven days of completing the disconnection process, strengthening regulatory oversight and real-time tracking of mobile identities.
The platform is expected to go live by the end of March 2026, following the conclusion of the current consultation process. The consultation paper, signed by NCC Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Dr Aminu Maida, was published on February 26, 2026. Stakeholders have until March 20, 2026, to submit their comments, in line with Section 58 of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003.
The regulatory push addresses a growing problem in Nigeria’s digital economy, where recycled numbers have exposed new subscribers to misdirected bank alerts, fraud investigations, and identity complications inherited from previous line owners.
