Federal Government Rolls Out New Guidelines for Deactivating Dormant Phone Numbers
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is preparing to launch an updated Telecom Identity Risk Management Policy (TIRMP), which will allow mobile operators to reassign phone numbers that have been inactive for a year. This policy, set to debut by the end of 2025, aims to streamline the process of recycling unused numbers—including those previously flagged for suspicious activity—while boosting telecom service quality and user experience.
According to insiders, the TIRMP platform will enable cross-sector data sharing, making it easier for stakeholders to track and manage numbers that have fallen into disuse or have been misused. This is especially important in today’s digital age, where phone numbers are often linked to banking, identification, and other sensitive services. The platform is designed to help reduce fraud risks by allowing service providers to identify and flag high-risk numbers before they’re reassigned.
Under the new rules, a phone number will be considered inactive if it hasn’t been used for any revenue-generating activity—such as calls, SMS, charged USSD sessions, or data usage—for 180 consecutive days. If this inactivity continues for another 180 days (making a full year), the number becomes eligible for reassignment, a process known in the industry as churning.
Operators, who lease numbering resources from the NCC, will then be able to return these dormant numbers to the market. This is crucial because, as the NCC points out, telephone numbers are a limited resource governed by international standards set by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Each number must follow a specific format, meaning there’s only a finite supply available.
To ensure the system’s success, the NCC is working closely with the Central Bank of Nigeria, security agencies, and other key players. A beta version of the TIRMP system is already being tested, and the NCC will oversee its operation as the regulatory authority. The ultimate goal is to strengthen user trust, enhance security, and support the ongoing growth of Nigeria’s digital and financial services sectors.