Nigeria’s telecommunications regulator plans to put a new data-sharing portal into operation shortly after the end of a public consultation period concluding at the close of March, in a bid to curb fraud risks tied to recycled mobile phone numbers.
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) developed the Telecom Identity Risk Management System (TIRMS) Portal in collaboration with mobile operators in March 2024.
The system aims to collect and distribute information on churned and reassigned numbers to prevent misuse in an environment where phone lines double as keys to banking, social media, pensions and official identity verification.
A regulatory guideline indicates the portal will go live following a 21-day consultation that started in late February 2026 and wraps up by the end of March 2026.
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The same period covers proposed changes to business rules under the Quality of Service Regulations 2024 and the Registration of Communications Subscribers Regulations 2022.
Mobile numbers become eligible for recycling after 360 days of inactivity, defined as no revenue-generating events like calls, messages or data usage, under current QoS rules. Operators can then reassign them to new subscribers.
Subscribers can avoid churning by parking lines for up to a year at minimal cost if they expect prolonged inactivity.
As Nigeria’s digital economy expands, recycled numbers have created vulnerabilities. New owners sometimes receive messages or alerts meant for previous users, or face blocks on services linked to old accounts.
In extreme instances, individuals have encountered legal troubles linked to prior owners’ activities, including one reported 2020 case where a man was detained for weeks after buying a SIM previously associated with a former president’s family member.
The NCC will manage the TIRMS portal, providing secure access to entities such as the Central Bank of Nigeria, securities and pension regulators, the National Identity Management Commission and security agencies.
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A memorandum of understanding with the CBN is being finalised to enable integration, with emphasis on aligning differing know-your-customer requirements across sectors.
Amendments under consultation would require operators to notify subscribers through alternative contacts before disconnection, offering a window to reactivate or park numbers. They would also set rules for warehousing churned lines in the system, control access protocols and allow blocking of numbers flagged for fraud.
The moves align with global numbering practices under the International Telecommunication Union’s E.164 recommendation and Nigeria’s Numbering Regulations, which seek efficient use of scarce resources while prioritising consumer protection.
No specific activation date beyond the post-consultation period has been confirmed. The NCC has positioned the initiative as a step toward reinforcing trust in digital identities amid rising SIM-related exploitation in financial and government services.
