The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Aminu Maida, says that the Commission is planning to extend phone number verification across sectors to reduce fraud risks associated with recycled numbers and compromised digital identities.
Dr, Maida told the 95th Telecom Consumer Parliament organised by the commission on Tuesday in Lagos that 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 that 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 that 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 over 6,500 network interventions in 2026, including equipment upgrades and capacity expansion to improve connectivity.
He said that 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.
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 sebersrvice 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 that 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.
GIK/APA