NCC telecoms identity platform aims to curb SIM fraud, improve security and strengthen trust in Nigeria’s digital economy

The Nigerian Communications Commission on Thursday unveiled plans to introduce a Telecoms Identity Risk Management System platform in Abuja, aimed at tackling SIM-related fraud, strengthening digital security, and boosting confidence in Nigeria’s digital economy.

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The Executive Vice Chairman of the commission, Aminu Maida, disclosed the initiative at a stakeholders’ consultative forum, where he highlighted growing concerns over vulnerabilities linked to mobile phone numbers.

Represented by the Executive Commissioner for Stakeholder Management, Rimini Makama, Maida said the Mobile Station International Subscriber Directory Number, widely known as a SIM or mobile number, had become central to financial transactions, digital identity, and access to services.

He warned, however, that the widespread reliance on SIMs has created exploitable gaps, with fraudulent activities involving recycled, swapped, churned, and barred numbers emerging as a major driver of identity theft and financial crime.

“It is in direct response to these challenges that the Commission has initiated the Telecoms Identity Risk Management System platform,” he said, describing the move as a decisive step to restore trust in digital systems.

According to the commission, the NCC telecoms identity platform will enable service providers to verify mobile numbers flagged for suspicious activity before granting access, thereby reducing exposure to fraud and improving accountability across sectors.

The system is also expected to enhance coordination among regulators, financial institutions, and security agencies, creating a more resilient and secure digital ecosystem.

To support implementation, the commission has proposed amendments to its Quality of Service Business Rules and the Registration of Communications Subscribers framework.

The changes include a requirement for telecom operators to notify subscribers at least 14 days before recycling their lines and to upload details of churned numbers to the platform within seven days.

The proposed framework further introduces stricter provisions for blocking fraudulently registered or misused SIMs, aimed at improving transparency and consumer protection.

Also speaking, the Director of Cybersecurity and Internet Governance at the commission, Olatokunbo Oyeleye, stressed that trust remains the backbone of the digital economy.

“Digital trust is the operating licence of the modern economy. Without it, nothing scales, and with it, everything accelerates,” she said, calling for industry-wide collaboration.

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The initiative forms part of the commission’s broader strategy to adopt a whole-of-government approach to digital risk management, with stakeholders urged to contribute actively to shaping the regulatory framework.