By Nkechi Eze
The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Aminu Maida, has stressed the need for a fair and practical approach to managing unclaimed recharges on inactive prepaid lines.
Dr. Maida made this known during a high-level stakeholder engagement forum held in Abuja on Tuesday, convened to address the increasingly pressing issue of unutilized and unclaimed subscriber recharges in the telecommunications sector.
Reaffirming the NCC’s commitment to fostering a transparent and consumer-centric telecom ecosystem, Dr. Maida noted that while prepaid services have empowered millions of Nigerians with affordable access to mobile connectivity, emerging challenges now demand regulatory clarity and reform.
“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,” he said. “One such challenge is the fate of prepaid balances when accounts become inactive.”
He emphasized that the discussion around unclaimed recharges presents an opportunity to strike a delicate balance between safeguarding consumer rights, maintaining regulatory oversight, and promoting industry efficiency.
According to existing NCC Quality-of-Service Business Rules (2024), prepaid lines without a Revenue Generating Event for six months are to be deactivated. If inactivity continues for another six months, the line may be recycled. However, subscribers are entitled to reclaim unused credits within one year of deactivation, provided they can prove ownership.
Among the key points raised at the forum were the ongoing debate between enforcing a “use it or lose it” policy versus mandatory refunds of unused airtime. Dr. Maida maintained that consumer protection must not be sacrificed for operational convenience, but regulatory frameworks must also remain pragmatic and sustainable.
In her remarks, Mrs. Chizua Whyte, Head of Legal & Regulatory Services at the NCC, elaborated on the draft guidance currently under consideration. She described the issue as a dual challenge—both a consumer rights concern and a regulatory opportunity.
“The issue of unutilized and unclaimed recharges on churned subscriber lines affects millions of Nigerians and has far-reaching implications for Mobile Network Operators (MNOs),” she stated. “This Draft Guidance seeks to ensure that subscribers retain rightful access to their purchased credits while giving operators a clear, transparent process to follow.”
Key provisions in the proposed framework include: A 12-month window for subscribers to reclaim unused credits on churned lines after verifying ownership, Mandatory audits by MNOs to account for all unclaimed balances, with detailed reporting requirements, A directive that unclaimed recharges must not be monetized, but instead made available as services like voice, data, and other value-added options and 90-day compliance deadline post-guidance issuance, accompanied by consumer education and notification obligations.
Mrs. Whyte reaffirmed the Commission’s dedication to upholding high service standards, describing the forum as a testament to the NCC’s inclusive and transparent regulatory approach.
“In this digital age, where telecom services underpin both economic and social engagement, proper management of consumer credits is crucial,” she said. “Together, we can develop guidelines that are fair, practical, and serve the collective interests of Nigerian consumers, operators, and our digital economy.”
The stakeholder forum was attended by industry players, consumer advocates, legal experts, and telecom regulators, all offering insights that will shape the final version of the guidance on managing unclaimed recharges.
As Nigeria’s telecommunications landscape continues to expand, the NCC remains committed to promoting policies that ensure consumer trust while supporting innovation and operational resilience in the sector.
