By | Destiny Young
The Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, has unveiled a new telecoms identity risk management system designed to help banks, telecom operators and other service providers verify phone numbers before granting access to services.
The platform, known as the Telecoms Identity Risk Management System, TIRMS, was presented at a stakeholders’ consultative forum in Abuja on Thursday. The commission said the initiative is aimed at reducing fraud linked to recycled, swapped and fraudulently used mobile numbers.
Speaking at the forum, NCC Executive Vice Chairman Aminu Maida said mobile phone numbers have become key identifiers for financial transactions, digital authentication and access to essential services. He said weaknesses tied to SIM swap, number recycling and other abuses have created major risks for financial fraud and identity theft.
According to the NCC, the platform will allow service providers to check whether a phone number has been flagged for suspicious or fraudulent activity before approving access to services. The commission said the system is intended to strengthen trust, accountability and coordination across Nigeria’s digital ecosystem.
Maida also said the regulator is proposing changes to existing rules to support the platform. Under the proposals, telecom operators would be required to notify subscribers at least 14 days before deactivating their lines. Operators would also have to submit details of churned numbers to the platform within seven days. The commission is also considering a framework for blocking fraudulently registered SIM cards.
The NCC said the initiative reflects a wider push for collaboration among telecom operators, financial regulators, security agencies and consumer groups.
At the consultation, MTN Nigeria raised concerns over the proposed platform, warning that it could duplicate an existing SIM swap and recycling notification system developed through collaboration between the NCC, the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, and the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System, NIBSS.
The company said the problem with the existing arrangement is not the absence of a system, but weak adoption by financial institutions. It argued that unless participation is made mandatory, the new platform may face similar limitations.
MTN also questioned the effectiveness of the proposed 14-day pre-churn notification rule. The operator said relying on email or alternative contact channels may not work because such records are often incomplete or outdated in SIM registration and NIN verification data.
It recommended that operators prioritise notifications to the primary mobile number, keep verifiable records of notification attempts, and expand public awareness on SIM inactivity and deactivation rules.
On consumer protection, MTN said the rules on reclaiming unused airtime after line deactivation remain unclear. The company proposed that subscribers should be allowed to recover unused balances within a specified period, subject to proof of ownership.
The NCC said it had taken note of the concerns and recommendations and would consider them in its final review of the proposed regulations.
