Manny Ita –
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has proposed a new regulation requiring telecom operators to give subscribers at least 14 days’ advance notice before deactivating or “churning” inactive SIM cards as part of broader efforts to combat identity‑linked fraud and strengthen consumer protection. The proposal is contained in a February 2026 consultation paper titled “Stakeholders Consultation Process for the Telecoms Identity Risks Management Platform,” which forms part of the Commission’s regulatory review under the Nigerian Communications Act.
Under the proposed amendments to the Quality‑of‑Service Business Rules, mobile network operators would be required to notify affected subscribers of impending SIM deactivation at least 14 days before the final churn date, with the notice delivered via an alternative phone number or email address. The Commission stated in the document that “prior to churning of a post‑paid line, the Operator shall send a notification to the affected subscriber through an alternative line or an email on the pending churning of his line,” adding that the same requirement applies to prepaid subscribers.
The NCC explained that the notice provision is intended to give subscribers sufficient time to reactivate or retain their numbers, addressing concerns over sudden loss of service and unintended reassignment of previously owned numbers. The measure also aims to reduce fraud linked to recycled, swapped, or barred mobile numbers, which can be exploited in scams and identity theft schemes when new users inherit numbers tied to previous owners’ identities or accounts. This change is part of a wider push linked to the rollout of the Telecoms Identity Risk Management System (TIRMS), a cross‑sector platform designed to centralise and verify churned and recycled mobile numbers across multiple regulatory and security agencies.
In addition to the advance notice requirement, the NCC proposed that operators must submit details of all churned numbers to the TIRMS database within seven days of the completion of their churn process, creating a more robust framework for managing mobile number integrity and preventing misuse across sectors such as banking, fintech, and national identity systems.
The consultation process on the proposed rules is open to stakeholders for comments and input, with a specified 21‑day period for submissions following the document’s publication in late February 2026. Once feedback is considered and regulations finalised, the changes are expected to enhance transparency, give subscribers greater control over their mobile lines, and help curb fraud linked to recycled SIM cards in Nigeria’s telecommunications environment.
