June 05, (THEWILL) – The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has announced a new policy that will allow telecom operators to reclaim phone numbers left dormant for up to one year.
Under the revised Telecom Identity Risk Management Policy (TIRMP), lines that remain inactive for 365 days without calls, texts, data usage, or any revenue-generating activity can be deactivated and reassigned.
The move, according to NCC, aims to tackle fraud and enhance identity management in Nigeria’s growing digital economy. The policy also seeks to improve the user experience across the telecom ecosystem, covering everything from SIM registration to line deactivation.
According to the new guidelines, “A line with zero usage for 180 days is marked inactive. After another 180 days, it becomes eligible for recycling.
“After 365 days, mobile network operators (MNOs) can reclaim and reassign the line.”
The NCC emphasised that the number availability is finite, and proper management is crucial.
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