New Guidelines Are Set By FG to Deactivate Idle Lines

A new policy established by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) would enable telecom companies to recover phone lines that have lain dormant for a maximum of one year.

Lines that are not used for calls, texts, data consumption, or any other activity that generates income for a full year may be deactivated and transferred under the updated Telecom Identity Risk Management Policy (TIRMP).

The telecom identity risk management policy, TIRMP, may have been modified by the federal government through the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), enabling a one-year window for re-assigning a dormant phone line to a new customer.

Through the TIRMP platform, NCC is creating a cross-sector platform to gather and exchange information on phone numbers that have been churned, or recycled, and those that other sector regulators have reported were used for fraudulent purposes.

According to NCC, the action is intended to combat fraud and improve identity management in Nigeria’s expanding digital economy. From SIM registration to line deactivation, the policy aims to enhance the user experience throughout the telecom ecosystem.

The platform will assist in preventing the misuse of numbers when they change hands, a trustworthy source at the commission informed Vanguard. Relevant stakeholders from a variety of industries will have access to the information on this platform.

According to official information obtained by Vanguard, the commission is making preparations to introduce the revised policy framework by this year’s fourth quarter.

According to the source, the new initiative is in line with the commission’s Strategic Vision Plan, which aims to address telecom consumers’ Quality of Experience at every touchpoint they come into contact with within the telecommunications ecosystem, from offboarding—the decision to leave a network to onboarding procedures like SIM registration.

“A line may be churned by the operator after 365 days without any Revenue Generating Event being carried out on it, according to the QoS Regulation and Business Rules 2024,” the source stated.

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has allowed the mobile network operators who have leased these lines to re-assign and redistribute them by re-entering the market after a period of 365 days.

The NCC emphasized that effective administration is essential because the number of available numbers is limited.

Telephone numbers and short codes are examples of numbering resources that form the foundation of contemporary telecommunications. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) oversees them globally under Recommendation E.164, which guarantees effectiveness and fair access to numbers across national boundaries, the source continued.

According to the NCC, the fact that each number must follow a specific length and format, resulting in a limited number of possible combinations, makes numbering resources intrinsically limited.

According to information on the commission’s website, “The Nigerian Communications Act 2003 mandates that the NCC oversee and distribute these vital resources on behalf of the Federal Government in Nigeria.” In order to support fair competition, safeguard consumers, encourage innovation, and comply with ITU standards and international best practices, the NCC allots number ranges to licensed operators and services (mobile, fixed, and special).

“Line recycling poses difficulties, especially when the prior owners of reassigned numbers continue to have those numbers associated with services they utilized before to the recycling. It raises concerns about phone number ownership, integrity and security.

By giving service providers the ability to proactively identify and respond, especially to high-risk numbers, and update their client information when necessary, the new regulation will lower the risk of fraud and enhance digital and financial services.

“The platform will be hosted by the NCC, which will also set up its operational and regulatory structure. An NCC source told Vanguard, “We are working with the CBN, security agencies, and other key stakeholders at the moment, and a beta solution is already being tested.”