NCC proposes 14-day notice before SIM deactivation

NCC proposes SIM deactivation notice of 14 days for telecom subscribers, part of new measures to prevent fraud via churned or swapped mobile numbers

The Nigerian Communications Commission has proposed that telecom operators provide subscribers with at least 14 days’ notice before deactivating SIM cards due to inactivity or post-paid churn.

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The recommendation is outlined in the consultation paper, Stakeholders Consultation Process for the Telecoms Identity Risks Management Platform, published on the NCC’s website in February 2026.

Under the proposed amendments to the Quality-of-Service Business Rules, operators must notify affected subscribers of impending post-paid line churn via an alternative line or email at least 14 days before the final deactivation date. A similar requirement applies to prepaid subscribers.

Currently, Section 2.3.1 of the QoS Business Rules allows a subscriber line to be deactivated after six months of inactivity for a Revenue Generating Event, with a further six months potentially leading to permanent number loss, except in cases of network faults.

The commission also requires that operators submit churn data to the new Telecoms Identity Risk Management System (TIRMS) within seven days of completing the churn process.

The platform is designed to curb fraud associated with recycled, swapped, or barred mobile numbers.

According to the NCC, the TIRMS “is a secure, regulatory-backed platform that helps prevent fraud stemming from churned, swapped, barred Mobile Station International Subscriber Directory Number in Nigeria” and will provide a standardised approach for ensuring the integrity of registered MSISDNs across all sectors.

The consultation period is open for 21 days from publication, allowing stakeholders to submit comments by March 20, 2026, in line with Section 58 of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003.

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The document was signed by the NCC Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Dr Aminu Maida, emphasising the commission’s commitment to enhancing regulatory oversight and protecting subscribers against mobile number-related fraud.

Quadri Olaitan