NCC Moves to Address Challenges in Mobile Number Recycling, Offers Safeguards
Emma Okonji
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), has intensified its interaction with other industries, in a bid to address the challenges associated with mobile number recycling.
The recycling of telephone lines presents challenges, particularly when the previous owners of reassigned numbers still have those numbers linked to services they used before the numbers were recycled.
It presents issues of security and integrity of phone number ownership, which the NCC is trying to address.
The regulator, in a document seen by THISDAY, said it has developed a cross-sector platform called the Telecom Identity Risk Management System (TIRMS) portal that collects and shares data on recycled (churned) phone numbers as well as numbers that have been flagged as having been used for fraudulent activities, as reported by other sector regulators.
The platform will provide access to relevant authorities and prevent abuse of recycled lines.
The goal, according to NCC, is to prevent the misuse of numbers when they change hands. NCC promised to make the information on the platform available to relevant stakeholders across various sectors, noting that it requires significant dialogue as Know Your Customers (KYC) needs of different sectors vary and need to interact properly.
The platform is billed for launch before the end of this month after the completion of the commission’s consultative engagements with relevant stakeholders. While it will be hosted by the NCC, key regulators and sector stakeholders, including the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Pension Authorities, National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), security agencies, and other authorised institutions, will have appropriate visibility into churned and reported numbers, the document stated.
The conceptualisation and development of TIRMS started in March 2024. So far, it has been built and tested with telecom operators by the NCC. A Memorandum of Understanding with the Central Bank of Nigeria is also currently being finalised to operationalise the platform upon its launch. The platform is scheduled to go live once the consultations are concluded.
“NCC has already commenced the process of amending the relevant regulations to support the deployment of TIRMS. A consultation on the proposed amendments to the Business Rules of the Quality of Service Regulations 2024 and the Registration of Communications Subscribers Regulations 2022 is currently underway and is expected to be concluded before the end of March 2026. Upon completion of the review, the revised rules will provide for the notification of line owners whose numbers are about to be churned, using alternative contact channels within a specified timeframe prior to the disconnection.
“The amendments will also establish the regulatory framework for warehousing churned numbers within TIRMS, enable controlled access for relevant sectors, and create clear procedures for blocking numbers that have been implicated in fraudulent activities,” the document further stated.
However, NCC has provided safeguards for telecoms subscribers whose active numbers are reassigned.
According to NCC regulations, “At no point should an active number be reassigned by an operator. The only numbers that operators may reassign after churning are numbers that have been inactive for a total of 360 days.” The current Quality of Service Rules states that a subscriber’s line may be deactivated if it has not been used within six months for revenue generation.
NCC clearly stated that when a phone number has not carried out any Revenue Generating Event (RGE), such as outgoing or incoming calls or SMS, or any activity on the line that generates income for the operator for over 180 days, the phone number is deemed as inactive. But if the inactivity continues for another 180 days, making it a total of 360 days, the line becomes eligible for churning, which is also called recycling.
Numbering resources, such as telephone numbers and short codes, are the backbone of modern telecommunications and regulated by the Nigerian Communications Act 2003 and the Numbering Regulations issued by the commission. They are governed globally by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), which ensures efficiency and equitable access to numbers across borders.
In Nigeria, the NCC, mandated by Section 128 of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003, manages and allocates these critical resources on behalf of the federal government. The NCC assigns number ranges to licensed operators and services (mobile, fixed, and special) in a manner that promotes fair competition, protects consumers, fosters innovation, and aligns with ITU standards and global best practices.
