The House of Representatives Nigeria has urged the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to extend the validity period for inactive mobile phone numbers before they are reassigned to new users to 18 months, in a bid to strengthen data protection and reduce identity-related crimes.
Lawmakers said the proposed extension would help improve compliance with the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023, while also reducing risks of fraud, identity theft, and wrongful criminal accusations linked to recycled SIM cards.
The resolution was passed during plenary on Tuesday following a motion sponsored by Billy Osawaru, who represents Orhionmwon/Uhunmwode Federal Constituency of Edo State. His motion called attention to the risks associated with the current timeline for reassigning dormant numbers.
Presenting the motion, Osawaru proposed that telecom operators should introduce an additional six-month buffer period beyond existing guidelines. He also suggested that numbers scheduled for reassignment be publicly announced in national newspapers and that relevant security agencies be notified periodically to improve transparency and monitoring.
He noted that such measures would help reduce the misuse of recycled numbers and assist security agencies in tracking criminal activities linked to phone lines that were previously used by other individuals.
According to him, current NCC guidelines allow telecom operators to deactivate and reallocate inactive SIM cards after a period of dormancy, a process he said often occurs without the knowledge of previous subscribers.
Osawaru further expressed concern that telecom operators may have financial incentives to quickly recycle inactive numbers, despite the potential risks to unsuspecting citizens whose personal data—such as Bank Verification Numbers (BVN) and National Identification Numbers (NIN)—may still be linked to those lines.
He warned that innocent Nigerians have, in several cases, faced embarrassment, extortion, and legal challenges due to crimes committed using reassigned numbers that were once theirs.
Following deliberations, the motion was adopted without opposition. The House subsequently mandated its committees on communications and commerce to engage with the NCC, the Nigeria Data Protection Commission, and other stakeholders to develop stronger safeguards for telecom users.
The committees are expected to report back within four weeks for further legislative action on the proposed reforms.
