…Engages stakeholders
From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) on Tuesday, held an Industry Consultative Forum to deliberate on a proposed regulatory framework that will guide the management of unutilised and unclaimed airtime and data recharges by telecom subscribers.
The hybrid event organised in Abuja, featured both in-person and virtual participation, bringing together key stakeholders from the telecommunications industry, including representatives of Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), legal experts, consumer rights advocates, and senior NCC officials.
The Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, described the forum as a vital step towards addressing the issue of unused prepaid credits on inactive subscriber lines.
Maida, who was represented by the Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management, Rimini Makama, noted that as the telecoms sector continues to evolve, it is necessary to uphold consumer rights without compromising regulatory clarity or industry sustainability.
“The telecommunications industry has long been a pillar of economic growth, financial inclusion, and digital transformation. With the widespread reliance on mobile services, prepaid plans have provided millions of Nigerians with flexibility and affordability.
“However, as the sector evolves, and in line with our commitment to ensuring Quality of Experience for telecom consumers, we must address emerging challenges especially those that may compromise consumer rights. One of such is the fate of prepaid balances when accounts become inactive.
“Striking the right balance between safeguarding consumer rights, ensuring effective regulatory oversight, and maintaining industry sustainability requires a collective effort, and this forum presents an opportunity to explore practical solutions on this subject. At the heart of our discussions today is the issue of unclaimed recharges,” the EVC stated.
He further cited the Commission’s Quality-of-Service Business Rules 2024,which stated that a prepaid line that remains inactive for six months must be deactivated, and may be recycled after another six months of inactivity. Subscribers, however, can reclaim their unused credit within 12 months if they can verify ownership.
Maida explained that the proposed Draft Guidance seeks to further standardize this process by recommending that telecom operators conduct comprehensive audits of churned numbers, maintain transparent documentation, and make unclaimed recharges available as service options; including data bundles, voice calls, and value-added services, rather than issuing refunds.
Mrs. Chizua Whyte, Head of Legal and Regulatory Services at the NCC, in her opening remarks, stated that the new framework is grounded in fairness, transparency, and consumer protection.
Whyte pointed out that the guidance aligns with international best practices and aims to create clarity for both subscribers and service providers.
“The issue of unutilized and unclaimed recharges on churned subscriber lines represents both a consumer protection challenge and a regulatory opportunity. When subscribers are disconnected after extended periods of inactivity as defined by our Quality of Service Regulations, many leave behind unused credits.
“This Draft Guidance seeks to establish clear, fair, and transparent procedures for managing these funds, ensuring that subscribers maintain rightful access to their purchased credits while providing operators with regulatory clarity,” she said.