The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has proposed a new requirement compelling telecom operators to issue a minimum 14-day notice to subscribers before deactivating their SIM cards due to inactivity or postpaid churn.
This is a part of broader reforms tied to the rollout of the Telecoms Identity Risk Management System.
The proposal is contained in a consultation paper titled Stakeholders Consultation Process for the Telecoms Identity Risks Management Platform, dated February 2026.
What the document says
Under the proposed amendment to the Quality of Service Business Rules, the Commission stated 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.”
It added that the notification “shall be sent at least 14 days before the final date for the churn of the number.”
A similar provision was introduced for prepaid subscribers.
According to the document, “prior to churning of a pre-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,” stressing again that the notice must be issued “at least 14 days before the final date for the churn of the number.”
- At present, Section 2.3.1 of the QoS Business Rules allows a subscriber line to be deactivated if it has not been used for a Revenue Generating Event within six months.
- If inactivity persists for another six months, the subscriber may lose the number, except in cases of network-related faults.
- The proposed amendment does not alter the six-month inactivity threshold but introduces a mandatory advance notification requirement before final churn, tightening consumer protection safeguards.
Operators to report churned SIMs to TIRMS within seven days
Beyond notification, the Commission is also seeking to strengthen data reporting obligations. Under a new provision in Section 2.3.2, “An Operator shall submit details of all churn numbers to the Telecoms Identity Risks Management System (TIRMS) within seven (7) days of completion of the churn process.”
The regulatory adjustments form part of preparations for the TIRMS platform, described in the document as “a secure, regulatory-backed Platform that helps prevent fraud stemming from churned, swapped, barred Mobile Station International Subscriber Directory Number (MSISDNs) in Nigeria.”
- According to the background section of the paper, the system is designed to provide a uniform, cross-sector approach to verifying the integrity and status of mobile numbers across the Nigerian communications network.
- It is expected to support regulators such as the Central Bank of Nigeria and other agencies in tackling identity-related fraud risks linked to recycled and dormant SIMs.
- The consultation process, initiated in line with Section 58 of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003, is open for 21 days from the date of publication. Stakeholders are required to submit comments on or before March 20, 2026.
The document was dated February 26, 2026, and signed by the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Commission, Dr Aminu Maida.
If adopted, the changes would formalise advance notification before SIM churn and deepen cross-sector data sharing aimed at reducing fraud risks tied to mobile number recycling.
