The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has launched the Telecoms Identity Risk Management System (TIRMS) to combat fraud from recycled, swapped, or misused mobile numbers (MSISDNs), which are key for financial transactions, digital verification, and services. Announced on February 27 and detailed at an Abuja stakeholders’ forum, Executive Vice Chairman Aminu Maida described TIRMS as a secure, cross-sector platform enabling banks, telecoms, and regulators to check suspicious numbers before service access. It promotes accountability, trust in Nigeria’s digital space, and collaboration among security agencies, financial bodies, operators, and consumers.
Key proposals include regulatory updates: telecoms must warn subscribers 14 days before deactivation, report churned numbers to TIRMS within seven days, and block fraudulent SIMs.
MTN Nigeria, via manager Anthonia Adaba, cautioned against duplication of an existing NCC-CBN-NIBSS SIM swap system, citing low bank adoption without mandates. She urged a technical working group for operations, integration, and costs; CBN enforcement on financial institutions; and prioritizing primary number notifications over unreliable emails or secondary lines. MTN also pushed for clearer airtime reclamation rules post-deactivation and better public awareness. NCC acknowledged the feedback for its final regulations review.
