The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is set to activate the Telecommunications Identity Risk Management System (TIRMS) next month as part of efforts to combat financial fraud and identity theft linked to mobile phone numbers.
The telecommunications regulator disclosed this in a communiqué issued after its 110th board meeting held on September 9, 2026, outlining several developments in the telecommunications sector, including the planned deployment of TIRMS and progress in network expansion.
TIRMS is a digital platform developed to strengthen the governance of telecommunications identities and reduce the risks associated with the misuse, reassignment and recycling of mobile numbers.
The platform is designed to operate through three key functions: phone number tracking, identification of risky Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards and real-time verification.
Through phone number tracking, TIRMS will monitor mobile phone numbers, also known as MSISDNs, across different telecommunications networks.
The system will also identify SIMs and numbers considered potentially risky because they have been recycled, swapped, churned or abandoned, or barred from use.
The third component, real-time verification, is expected to provide banks and other service providers with instant access to relevant telephone data for verification purposes.
The NCC said the platform is expected to strengthen the management of telecommunications identities while helping reduce opportunities for mobile numbers to be misused for fraudulent activities.
The deployment comes amid continuing concerns over financial fraud and identity theft involving mobile phone numbers and telecommunications services.
According to the commission, the implementation of TIRMS must comply with applicable legal, privacy and data protection requirements.
The NCC board also stressed the need to protect consumers and maintain the integrity of the telecommunications market as the system is deployed.
The regulator’s emphasis on privacy and data protection reflects the sensitivity of the information that will be processed through the platform, particularly as financial institutions and service providers gain access to telephone data for verification.
Beyond TIRMS, the NCC also announced progress in the deployment of additional telecommunications infrastructure intended to improve network coverage, capacity and quality of service across the country.
The commission said telecommunications operators had deployed 8,526 of the 12,179 additional coverage and capacity sites they had committed to providing.
The deployment represents approximately 70 per cent of the operators’ commitments.
The NCC described the progress as significant, noting that the number of sites deployed had increased substantially from the approximately 5,000 sites reported at the previous meeting of its governing board.
The additional sites are intended to strengthen network coverage and capacity while improving the quality of telecommunications services available to consumers across Nigeria.
The regulator said the expansion would contribute to efforts to address areas where network capacity and coverage remain inadequate.
The board meeting also considered the planned zero-rating of educational platforms and content, an initiative aimed at improving digital inclusion and expanding access to online learning resources.
The NCC said the zero-rating programme would commence on October 1, 2026, following collaboration between the Federal Ministry of Education and other relevant stakeholders.
Under the initiative, students are expected to gain easier access to approved educational platforms and content without the normal data charges associated with accessing those resources.
The board commended the Federal Ministry of Education and other stakeholders for their collaboration in advancing the initiative.
The programme is part of broader efforts to make digital learning more accessible, particularly for students who may face financial barriers to accessing educational resources online.
The NCC’s latest announcements therefore cover two important areas of Nigeria’s digital development: strengthening safeguards against telecommunications-related fraud and expanding the infrastructure needed to support wider digital access.
The planned activation of TIRMS is expected to provide financial institutions and service providers with an additional tool for identifying suspicious or problematic mobile identities.
By tracking mobile numbers and flagging SIMs associated with activities such as recycling, swapping, abandonment or barring, the system is designed to improve the ability of organisations to verify telecommunications identities.
The real-time verification component could also help institutions confirm relevant telephone information before completing transactions or providing services.
However, the NCC has made clear that the deployment must operate within existing legal, privacy and data protection requirements.
This requirement is particularly important as Nigeria continues to expand its digital economy and more financial, commercial and government services become dependent on mobile connectivity.
At the same time, the deployment of thousands of additional telecommunications sites is expected to strengthen the network infrastructure required to support growing demand for digital services.
With 8,526 of the 12,179 committed sites already deployed, the NCC said operators had reached about 70 per cent of their target.
The increase from approximately 5,000 sites reported at the previous board meeting indicates continued progress in the industry’s network expansion programme.
The commission is also pursuing greater digital inclusion through the zero-rating of educational platforms, providing another pathway for Nigerians to benefit from improved telecommunications infrastructure.
As TIRMS approaches activation next month, the NCC will face the task of ensuring that the new system achieves its intended objective of reducing fraud and identity theft while maintaining strong safeguards for consumers’ personal information.
The combination of stronger identity management, expanded network infrastructure and improved access to digital learning reflects the regulator’s broader focus on building a telecommunications environment that is safer, more reliable and more inclusive.
With the anti-scam platform expected to go live next month and the educational zero-rating initiative scheduled to begin on October 1, the NCC is preparing to implement two significant measures that could shape the country’s digital and telecommunications landscape in the coming months.