The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) says it is planning to extend phone number verification across sectors to reduce fraud risks associated with recycled numbers and compromised digital identities.
The Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Dr Aminu Maida, said this at the 95th Telecom Consumer Parliament organised by the commission on Tuesday in Lagos.
Maida said the proposed expansion of the Telecommunications Identity Risk Management System (TIRMS) would help organisations identify recycled phone numbers and those flagged for fraudulent activities.
He explained that phone numbers had become essential to accessing financial services, managing pensions and shopping online, making their security increasingly important to Nigeria’s digital economy.
“A phone number has also become part of our digital identity, used to access financial services, manage pensions and shop online,” Maida said.
He said the commission, in collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), planned to extend the system’s use to other sectors that rely on phone numbers to identify customers and facilitate transactions.
Maida said the initiative would help organisations recognise recycled numbers and numbers flagged for fraud, reducing the risk of unauthorised access to people’s accounts and services.
Beyond identity protection, Maida disclosed that the commission had recorded more than 6,500 network interventions in 2026, including equipment upgrades and capacity expansion to improve connectivity.
He said operators were expected to translate their investments into more reliable calls and internet connections, while the commission monitored network performance and required providers to address shortcomings.
The NCC boss also urged communities to help protect telecommunications infrastructure by reporting vandalism and suspected theft, noting that damaged fibre cables and stolen equipment could disrupt services across several communities.
Also, Maida disclosed that 75 million subscribers had received airtime compensation for poor service in 2026 under the commission’s Consumer Compensation Framework.
He, however, stressed that compensation could not recover lost business opportunities or disrupted communication, adding that the commission’s priority remained preventing service failures rather than merely compensating affected subscribers.
“Compensation matters, but it cannot recover a lost business opportunity or an important conversation that could not take place,” he said.
Maida further disclosed that nearly three million subscribers had received refunds for failed airtime and data purchases under a framework developed with the CBN, telecom operators and financial service providers.
He said the framework was designed to trace failed transactions and ensure timely refunds, preventing consumers from being passed repeatedly between banks and network operators when seeking redress.
On data transparency, Maida said the Commission’s forthcoming usage notification guideline would provide clearer information about daily data consumption, remaining balances and detailed usage breakdowns to help subscribers monitor their spending.
He said tariff simplification measures would also make bundle prices, allowances and validity periods easier to understand, while operators were expected to investigate disputed data usage fairly and explain their findings.
He also advised consumers to verify mobile devices before purchase through the commission’s Device Checker by dialling *315# or calling 315, to check compliance with its Type Approval requirements and avoid unsafe or counterfeit products.
On complaints, Maida urged subscribers to contact their service providers first, obtain complaint reference numbers and escalate unresolved cases to the commission through its toll-free line, 622.
Earlier, Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management, NCC, Ms Rimini Makama said the parliament should produce practical commitments on reliable connections, transparent billing and timely complaint resolution, with service providers held accountable for improvements.
She urged consumer groups to continue bringing subscribers’ experiences to the Commission, stressing that open discussions and clear responsibilities were necessary to ensure that consumer protection translated into better services.
Makama recalled that consumers at the 94th Parliament had raised concerns about network quality, unclear billing, failed transactions and delays in resolving complaints, adding that the commission would review actions taken to address the issues. (NAN)
