Telecom companies in Nigeria may soon be compelled to give subscribers at least 14 days' notice before disconnecting SIM cards for inactivity or post-paid churn.
The proposal, detailed in a consultation paper by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), is part of broader reforms related to the implementation of the Telecoms Identity Risk Management System (TIRMS), a regulatory-backed platform aimed at preventing fraud involving churned, swapped, or barred mobile numbers.
Mobile numbers in Nigeria are being used as important authentication methods for banking, USSD codes, digital wallets, and identity verification, making them attractive targets for fraudsters.
A recent investigation revealed that fraudsters frequently exploit recycled SIMs, with losses from scams and unauthorised access to financial accounts reportedly reaching ₦6.5 billion ($8.39 million) in 2025, while cybersecurity data shows SIM-related fraud is climbing at roughly 40% year-on-year.
Under current rules, a SIM card may be deactivated after six months of inactivity and fully churned after another six months, but no advance notice is required.
However, under the NCC’s proposed amendments to the Quality-of-Service Business Rules, “operators must now notify affected subscribers through an alternative line or email at least 14 days before the final churn date,” it reads in part.
The NCC noted that this requirement applies to both prepaid and postpaid customers, without altering the existing six-month inactivity threshold, ensuring users have time to retain their numbers and reducing abrupt disconnections.
The regulator is also tightening reporting obligations. Operators would be required to submit details of all churned numbers to TIRMS within seven days, creating a centralised, cross-sector database to track recycled SIMs.
The public consultation, conducted under Section 58 of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003, remains open for 21 days, with stakeholders invited to submit comments by March 20, 2026.
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