By Ayo Kehinde
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has proposed a mandatory 14-day notice period for telecommunications operators before deactivating subscribers’ SIM cards over inactivity or post-paid churn, as part of sweeping regulatory reforms aimed at strengthening consumer protection and tackling telecom-related fraud.
The proposal is contained in a consultation paper titled Stakeholders Consultation Process for the Telecoms Identity Risks Management Platform, dated February 26, 2026, and signed by the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Commission, Aminu Maida.
The document was published on the Commission’s website.
Under the proposed amendments to the Quality-of-Service (QoS) Business Rules, telecom operators will be required to notify affected subscribers ahead of any planned churn.
“Before churning of a post-paid line, the Operator shall send a notification to the affected subscriber through an alternative line or an email on the pending churning of his line,” the document stated.
It further stipulated that “this notification shall be sent at least 14 days before the final date for the churn of the number.”
The Commission proposed a similar provision for prepaid subscribers, mandating operators to notify customers via an alternative line or email at least 14 days before the final churn date.
Currently, under Section 2.3.1 of the QoS Business Rules, a subscriber’s line may be deactivated if it has not been used for six months for a revenue-generating event.
Where the inactivity continues for another six months, the subscriber risks losing the number entirely, except in cases of proven network-related faults.
The new proposal forms part of a broader regulatory review tied to the rollout of the Telecoms Identity Risk Management System (TIRMS), a cross-sector platform designed to curb fraud linked to recycled, swapped, and barred mobile numbers.
The NCC explained that TIRMS is a secure, regulatory-backed platform that seeks to prevent fraud arising from churned, swapped, and barred Mobile Station International Subscriber Directory Numbers (MSISDNs) within Nigeria’s telecommunications network.
According to the Commission, the platform “will provide a uniform approach for all sectors in relation to the integrity and utilisation of registered MSISDNs on the Nigerian Communications network.”
In addition to the 14-day notice requirement, the NCC also proposed that operators must submit details of all churned numbers to TIRMS within seven days of completing the churn process, a move aimed at strengthening oversight and accountability.
The consultation process, which the Commission said is in line with Section 58 of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003, will remain open for 21 days from the date of publication. Stakeholders are expected to submit their comments on or before March 20, 2026.
