March 27, (THEWILL) — The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has unveiled plans to introduce a new regulatory platform, the Telecommunications Identity Risk Management System (TIRMS), to curb rising cases of SIM-related fraud and strengthen trust in Nigeria’s digital economy.
Speaking at a stakeholder forum in Abuja, the Commission’s Executive Vice-Chairman, Aminu Maida, said the initiative was designed to address increasing abuse of mobile numbers within Nigeria’s financial and digital ecosystem. According to him, the Mobile Station International Subscriber Directory Number (MSISDN), commonly known as a mobile number, has evolved into a key digital identifier used for financial transactions, authentication, and access to essential services.
However, he warned that fraudulent activities involving recycled, churned, swapped, and barred SIM cards have become a growing channel for identity theft and financial crimes, eroding trust across digital platforms.
The proposed TIRMS platform will provide a unified system allowing institutions to verify the status of mobile numbers before granting access to services or completing transactions. It will enable telecom operators, banks, and other stakeholders to flag suspicious or dormant numbers, improving accountability tied to SIM usage and reducing fraud risks across sectors.
As part of the rollout, the NCC is proposing regulatory amendments requiring telecom operators to notify subscribers at least 14 days before a phone number is churned and to submit details of churned numbers to the TIRMS platform within seven days of the process. 
The urgency of the initiative is underscored by data from the Nigeria Inter‑Bank Settlement System (NIBSS), which recorded 67,518 digital payment fraud cases in 2025, resulting in losses of about ₦25.85 billion. Regulators say SIM-swap abuse and authorised push payment scams are among the threats putting pressure on Nigeria’s financial infrastructure.
The platform is expected to enhance coordination among regulators such as the Central Bank of Nigeria and other agencies by enabling cross-sector verification of mobile numbers linked to fraudulent activities.
With mobile numbers increasingly serving as gateways to banking, fintech, and government services, the NCC says tighter oversight of SIM lifecycle management is essential to safeguarding Nigeria’s rapidly expanding digital payments ecosystem.
Ogochukwu Onwaeze is a writer specializing in business and economic journalism. At THEWILL News Media, she translates market trends, financial developments, and policy shifts into clear and engaging stories.
