Wednesday 02nd September, 2026 03:08 PM|
Kenyans who stop using old mobile numbers could face difficulties accessing services linked to those numbers if the lines are eventually deactivated and recycled, under a new regulatory framework being considered by the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA).
The regulator has opened public consultation on proposed safeguards governing the deactivation and recycling of inactive telecommunication numbering resources, putting consumer protection at the centre of how unused mobile numbers could be returned to circulation.
The proposals matter because a mobile number is no longer used only for making calls and sending messages. For many Kenyan households, it can also be connected to mobile-money services, banking, account recovery and other digital services.
The CA said the proposed measures are intended to strengthen the management of Kenya’s numbering resources while protecting the rights and interests of consumers assigned mobile numbers.
“In a bid to effectively manage the country’s numbering resources, and safeguard the rights and interests of ICT service consumers assigned numbering resources, the Authority has developed draft procedural and technical safeguards for deactivation and recycling of inactive mobile numbers,” the regulator said.
Mobile money risk
The potential consumer risk arises when a number that has been abandoned remains associated with financial or digital services.
A customer who changes a mobile number but does not update all accounts linked to the old line could eventually lose access to services that rely on that number for identification, verification or account recovery.
If the number is later assigned to another customer, the new subscriber could receive a number previously used by someone else.
That does not mean the new subscriber automatically gains access to the former user’s money or accounts. It does, however, underline why consumers need to keep their contact details updated with financial institutions and digital service providers.
The CA’s proposed framework is intended to provide procedural and technical safeguards before inactive numbers can potentially be reassigned.
The regulator has not said that Kenyans will automatically lose money or mobile-money balances because of the proposed rules. The consultation is instead focused on establishing safeguards for the deactivation and subsequent recycling of numbers that are no longer active.
What consumers should do
The consultation allows consumers to raise concerns about how inactive numbers should be handled before the proposed safeguards are finalised.
For households, the issue is particularly relevant when changing SIM cards, abandoning old numbers or moving to a new mobile network.
Consumers who stop using a number should update the number registered with their mobile-money provider, banks and other important digital services. They should also review accounts that use the old number for login verification, security notifications or password recovery.
Keeping those records updated can reduce the risk of losing access to services after a number is no longer under the customer’s control.
The CA said the proposed safeguards are aimed at ensuring that numbering resources are managed efficiently while taking into account the interests of millions of mobile-phone users.
Kenyans have until September 11
The Authority has invited members of the public, telecommunications operators and other stakeholders to review the proposed safeguards and submit their views before the consultation closes.
“Members of the public are invited to submit their memoranda on the draft guidelines by September 11th, 2026,” the CA said.
Submissions are to be made through [email protected].
The consultation will allow consumers and industry stakeholders to comment on the proposed procedures and technical safeguards before the framework is finalised.
For Kenyan households, the immediate issue is therefore not a planned loss of mobile-money funds, but the importance of protecting access to accounts and services that may remain tied to an old mobile number.
As Kenya’s digital economy becomes increasingly dependent on mobile connectivity, the way inactive numbers are deactivated and eventually recycled could have consequences well beyond telecommunications.
The CA’s consultation provides consumers with an opportunity to influence how those protections are designed before the proposed safeguards are finalised.
