The House of Representatives has called on the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to extend the waiting period before inactive phone numbers are reassigned to new users to 18 months. Lawmakers argue that this measure will enhance compliance with the Data Protection Act of 2023 and safeguard Nigerians from fraud, identity theft, and false criminal accusations linked to reassigned SIM cards.
Motion Details
The resolution followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by Billy Osawaru, representative of the Orhionmwon/Uhunmwode Federal Constituency of Edo State, during Tuesday's plenary. Osawaru proposed that the additional six months should allow for inactive SIM cards due for reallocation to be publicly announced in national newspapers and reported to the police at least once or twice annually. He emphasized that this would improve transparency and facilitate the resolution of criminal or fraudulent cases arising from SIM card reassignment.
Concerns Over Current Policy
The House observed that the NCC's Telecom Identity Risk Management Policy permits network operators to deactivate and recycle inactive SIM cards after a defined dormancy period. Operators have defended this policy as necessary for operational and financial sustainability. However, lawmakers expressed concern that commercial considerations should not override subscriber protection. They warned that improperly managed SIM recycling could expose Nigerians to data breaches, financial fraud, and identity theft, particularly when recycled numbers remain linked to banking and identity verification systems.
Committees to Engage Agencies
The House also mandated its Committees on Communications and Commerce to engage with the NCC, the Nigeria Data Protection Commission, and other relevant agencies to review the policy framework and ensure stronger safeguards for mobile subscribers. A report is expected within four weeks for further legislative action.
Currently, NCC guidelines require network providers in Nigeria to deactivate inactive SIM cards after 180 days (six months) and permit reassignment to new subscribers after one year of dormancy, without notifying the former subscriber, as outlined in the new Telecom Identity Risk Management Policy.
Expert Opinions
Diverse opinions continue to shape the development of SIM recycling in the country. In an earlier interview with The Guardian, Akin Adegoke, Chief Digital Officer of Lotus Bank, stated that reallocated SIMs must be de-linked from former users to curb fraud. According to him, the solution lies in coordination rather than more customer warnings. He suggested that banks and telcos should establish a secure, real-time notification system where any SIM swap or number reassignment automatically triggers a status update to the linked bank.
Adegoke explained that before authorizing sensitive transactions, the bank should be able to confirm whether the SIM has been recently recycled. If it has, the system can temporarily step up authentication or restrict high-risk activity. He emphasized that this does not require reinventing infrastructure but rather agreed standards, shared responsibility, and regulatory backing to make real-time information exchange mandatory rather than optional.
He further noted that if a SIM is reassigned without the previous owner de-linking their Bank Verification Number (BVN), the bank's system should automatically treat that number as high-risk the moment its status changes. Digital banking cores can trigger a temporary freeze on high-value Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) transfers, block profile changes, and require stronger re-verification before any sensitive transaction is approved. This should be automatic and not customer-driven. Once a SIM tenure is reset or a swap is detected, risk controls must activate immediately to protect the account until identity is properly confirmed.
