NCC to widen phone number checks to banks, pensions and shops to fight fraud

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) wants phone number checks to go beyond the telecoms industry, saying the same numbers Nigerians use to open accounts, access pensions and shop online are increasingly being used to commit fraud.

The commission's Executive Vice Chairman, Dr Aminu Maida, announced the plan on Tuesday in Lagos at the 95th Telecom Consumer Parliament, the commission's regular forum with subscribers.

At the centre of the plan is the Telecommunications Identity Risk Management System (TIRMS), a tool that lets organisations see whether a phone number has been recycled or flagged for suspicious activity.

Maida said the NCC is working with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to take the system to other sectors that depend on phone numbers to identify customers and process transactions.

Why it matters to subscribers

A recycled number is one that was once used by someone else and later handed to a new subscriber. If old accounts are still tied to that number, a new owner could gain access to another person's services.

Maida said a phone number is now part of a person's digital identity. He said the expanded checks would help organisations spot recycled numbers and numbers already linked to fraud, lowering the risk of unauthorised access to accounts.

The NCC and the CBN signed a memorandum of understanding in April 2026 to tackle payment fraud and protect consumers. The TIRMS portal is part of that deal, allowing financial institutions to check numbers.

Earlier, in March 2026, the NCC proposed that operators give subscribers at least 14 days' notice before deactivating a SIM for inactivity, and report deactivated numbers to TIRMS within seven days.

On service quality, Maida said the commission recorded more than 6,500 network interventions in 2026, including equipment upgrades and capacity expansion. He said operators must turn their investments into better calls and internet, and that the commission is monitoring performance.

He also asked communities to report vandalism and theft of telecom equipment, noting that damaged fibre cables and stolen gear can cut services for whole areas.

Compensation and refunds

Maida said 75 million subscribers received airtime compensation for poor service in 2026 under the commission's Consumer Compensation Framework.

He stressed, however, that airtime cannot replace what a failed network costs a customer. "Compensation matters, but it cannot recover a lost business opportunity or an important conversation that could not take place," he said.

He added that nearly three million subscribers got refunds for failed airtime and data purchases, under a framework built with the CBN, telecom operators and financial service providers. The aim, he said, is to trace failed transactions and stop customers being sent back and forth between banks and networks.

On data, Maida said a coming guideline will give clearer details of daily usage, remaining balances and usage breakdowns, while tariff simplification will make bundle prices, allowances and validity periods easier to understand.

He advised buyers to check phones before purchase through the NCC's Device Checker by dialling *315# or calling 315, and to escalate unresolved complaints to the commission on its toll-free line, 622, after getting a reference number from their provider.

In her opening address, the NCC's Executive Commissioner for Stakeholder Management, Ms Rimini Makama, said the parliament should produce practical commitments on reliable connections, transparent billing and quick complaint resolution, with providers held to account.