Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has introduced a new regulatory platform aimed at tracking, verifying and blocking fraudulent activities linked to mobile phone numbers.

KANO FOCUS reports that the platform, known as the Telecommunications Identity Risk Management System (TIRMS), was unveiled at a stakeholders’ consultative forum held on Thursday in Abuja.

The initiative is designed to tackle the growing abuse of mobile numbers, particularly swapped, recycled, churned and barred SIMs, which are increasingly exploited by fraudsters to carry out financial crimes and identity theft.

Speaking at the event, the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, said the system was developed in response to rising vulnerabilities within the telecommunications sector.

“The fraudulent use of churned, recycled, swapped and barred MSISDNs has become a significant vector for financial fraud and identity theft, eroding public trust in our digital platforms,” he said.

Represented by the Executive Commissioner for Stakeholder Management, Rimini Makama, Maida noted that mobile numbers have evolved into critical identity tools used for banking, authentication and access to essential services.

He, however, warned that this increased reliance has exposed users and institutions to risks, especially when compromised numbers are reused without proper verification.

According to him, the TIRMS platform is a secure, cross-sector system that enables service providers to verify the status of mobile numbers before granting access to services, thereby detecting suspicious numbers and preventing misuse.

He added that the platform would enhance accountability across the telecommunications ecosystem by ensuring that stakeholders — including telecom operators, financial institutions and government agencies — operate with verified and trusted data.

To support the rollout, the NCC has proposed amendments to existing regulations on quality of service and subscriber registration. The proposed changes include requiring telecom operators to notify subscribers at least 14 days before their lines are churned or recycled, and mandating the submission of such numbers to the TIRMS platform within seven days.

The framework also introduces stricter measures for blocking SIMs found to be fraudulently registered or used, to prevent their re-entry into the system.

Maida emphasised that collaboration across sectors would be key to the success of the initiative, noting that the platform is designed to integrate stakeholders from finance, identity management and law enforcement.

Also speaking, the NCC’s Director of Cybersecurity and Internet Governance, Olatokunbo Oyeleye, described digital trust as fundamental to modern economies, warning that without it, innovation and growth could be undermined.

“Our collective responsibility today is clear, to ensure that every mobile number in Nigeria can be trusted by users, service providers, regulators and the entire digital ecosystem,” she said.

Oyeleye explained that the TIRMS platform would serve as a central verification system to strengthen identity assurance and reduce fraud risks associated with compromised mobile numbers.

She added that the commission has commenced the rule-making process in line with the Nigerian Communications Act, including the release of a consultation document outlining the proposed regulatory amendments.

According to her, feedback from stakeholders would guide the final review and implementation of the platform to ensure it meets the needs of all sectors.