NCC launches telecom risk platform to fight mobile fraud and enhance digital security

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has unveiled an innovative Telecommunications Identity Risk Management System (TIRMS) designed to curb mobile number fraud and improve digital security in the financial and services sectors.

At a stakeholders forum in Abuja, NCC Executive Vice President Aminu Maida said the platform will offer a unified framework to manage risks arising from the misuse of mobile numbers, which have become crucial identifiers for financial transactions, online services and digital verification.

Maida explained that vulnerabilities caused by recycled, swapped or fraudulently used SIM cards have become a major avenue for financial crimes and identity theft.

“The fraudulent use of laundered and exchanged numbers has become a significant vector of financial fraud. This platform provides a secure, regulatory-backed system to address these risks,” he said.

The TIRMS platform allows service providers, including banks and telecom operators, to check mobile numbers reported for suspicious activity before granting access to services.

The initiative is expected to improve accountability and foster trust in Nigeria’s increasingly digital economy.

To strengthen the system, NCC is proposing regulations requiring telecom operators to notify subscribers at least 14 days before deactivating their lines and to send details of changed numbers to the platform within seven days.

However, MTN Nigeria expressed concern that the platform could duplicate existing systems and suffer low adoption if participation was voluntary.

The telecom giant urged regulators to work closely with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and other stakeholders to ensure the effectiveness of the system.

Industry observers say the platform could significantly reduce SIM-related fraud, protect consumers and strengthen Nigeria’s overall digital ecosystem, if implemented effectively and adopted widely by service providers.

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