Telecommunications operators in Nigeria may soon be required to give subscribers at least 14 days’ notice before deactivating their SIM cards due to inactivity or post-paid churn, following a new proposal by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
The proposal is contained in a consultation paper signed by the NCC’s Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Dr Aminu Maida. Titled Stakeholders Consultation Process for the Telecoms Identity Risks Management Platform and dated February 26, 2026, the document has been published on the Commission’s website.
Under the proposed amendments to the Quality-of-Service (QoS) Business Rules, operators would be required to notify affected subscribers before any planned churn. Specifically, prior to disconnecting a post-paid line, operators must inform the subscriber through an alternative phone number or email, at least 14 days before the final churn date.
A similar requirement would apply to prepaid customers, who must also receive notification via an alternative line or email at least 14 days before their numbers are deactivated.
Currently, Section 2.3.1 of the QoS Business Rules allows operators to deactivate a line if it has not recorded a revenue-generating activity for six months. If the inactivity continues for another six months, the subscriber risks permanently losing the number, except in cases where the inactivity is caused by network-related issues.
The proposed changes form part of a broader regulatory review linked to the rollout of the Telecoms Identity Risk Management System (TIRMS), a cross-sector platform aimed at tackling fraud associated with recycled, swapped, or barred mobile numbers.
According to the Commission, TIRMS is a secure, regulator-backed system designed to curb fraud tied to churned, swapped, and barred Mobile Station International Subscriber Directory Numbers (MSISDNs) in Nigeria. It is expected to provide a uniform framework across sectors to safeguard the integrity and proper use of registered mobile numbers on the country’s communications network.
In addition to the 14-day notification requirement, operators would also be mandated to submit details of all churned numbers to TIRMS within seven days of completing the process, enhancing transparency and regulatory oversight.
The consultation, conducted in line with Section 58 of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003, will remain open for 21 days from the date of publication, with stakeholders expected to submit their feedback on or before March 20, 2026.