The House of Representatives has urged the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to review its current policy on inactive SIM cards, recommending a longer waiting period before such numbers are reassigned to new users.
Lawmakers are proposing that the reassignment window be extended to one year and six months, arguing that the additional time would help reduce the risks associated with recycled phone numbers, particularly in relation to fraud, identity theft, and wrongful criminal allegations.
The decision followed the adoption of a motion moved during plenary by Billy Osawaru, who represents Orhionmwon/Uhunmwode Federal Constituency in Edo State.
In presenting the motion, Osawaru suggested that the proposed six-month extension should also be used to improve transparency in the process. He recommended that SIM cards scheduled for reassignment be publicly announced in national newspapers and reported to the police once or twice each year.
“The House is aware the said guidelines mandate the network providers to deactivate and reallocate inactive SIM cards and phone numbers,” he said.
He explained that such measures would not only promote openness but also make it easier for authorities to investigate cases involving fraud or criminal activity linked to reassigned phone numbers.
Osawaru acknowledged the position of telecom operators, noting that keeping inactive SIM cards indefinitely may not be financially viable.
“The House is also aware, as claimed by network providers, that it is not financially sustainable or profitable for them to retain inactive SIM cards on their network despite being registered with the initial subscribers’ data.
“We are concerned that if not strictly guided and checked, reallocation of SIM cards or phone numbers to new subscribers could lead to data breaches,
“Identity theft and financial fraud, especially when the numbers are still linked to the previous owner’s sensitive information, such as Bank Verification Number and National Identity Number,” the lawmaker added.
He emphasized that without stricter safeguards, reassigned numbers could remain tied to sensitive personal data, exposing both former and new users to serious risks.
Under existing NCC regulations, telecom providers are required to deactivate SIM cards that remain unused for 180 days. After a total of one year of inactivity, these numbers can be reassigned to new subscribers without prior notification to the original owners, in line with the Telecom Identity Risk Management Policy.
The House believes revisiting this framework is necessary to strengthen data protection practices and build greater public trust in Nigeria’s telecommunications system.
