The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr Aminu Maida on Tuesday had an engagement forum with the telecommunication stakeholders on unclaimed recharges in Abuja.

Dr Maida’s speech was delivered by the Commission’s Executive Commissioner, Stakeholders Management, Rimini Makama.

In the speech, Makama noted that
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.

She further said that as the sector evolves, and in line with the NCC’s commitment to ensuring Quality of Experience for telecom consumers, they must address emerging challenges, especially those that may compromise consumer rights, one of such is the fate of prepaid balances when accounts become inactive.

The Executive Commissioner maintained that striking the right balance between safeguarding consumer rights, ensuring effective regulatory oversight, and maintaining industry sustainability requires a collective effort, and that the forum presented an opportunity to explore practical solutions on this subject.

According to Makama, the Quality-of-Service Business Rules 2024 stipulates that a prepaid line without a Revenue Generating Event for six months must be deactivated, and that if inactivity persists for another six months, the line may be recycled, subscribers have the right to reclaim their unused credit within one year, provided they can demonstrate ownership.

The lawyer explained that broader debate remains, and that operators are required to refund unused airtime, or should the principle of “use it or lose it” prevails, the Commission goal is to arrive at a framework that protects consumers while ensuring the continued efficiency and competitiveness of the industry.

She therefore reaffirmed the Commission remains committed to fostering a fair, transparent, and consumer-centric telecommunications landscape.

In her remarks, Head of Legal & Regulatory Services of the Commission, Mrs Chizua Whyte said that the issue of unutilized and unclaimed recharges on churned subscriber lines represents both a consumer protection challenge and a regulatory opportunity.

According to her, “when subscribers are disconnected after extended periods of inactivity as defined by our Quality of Service Regulations, many leave behind unused credits, therefore, this Draft Guidance seeks to establish clear, fair, and transparent procedures for managing these funds, ensuring that subscribers maintain rightful access to their purchased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.”

Mrs Whyte highlighted provisions of the Draft Guidance as follows;

“Firstly, establishing a 12-month window during which affected subscribers can claim unutilized recharges after their lines have been churned, provided they can verify ownership, this balances consumer rights with operational practicality.

“The second stipulates operators to conduct comprehensive audit of all churned numbers and submit detailed documentation of all unclaimed and unutilized recharges, ensuring transparency and accountability in the process.

“Lastly, it ensures that the unclaimed recharges cannot be monetized but must be made available through service options to the affected subscribers, including voice offerings, data plans, and value-added services on the primary network.”

Mys Whyte also stated that the Commission has outlined clear timelines for implementation with operators expected to achieve full compliance within 90 days of issuance, alongside comprehensive consumer education and notification requirements.

“In this digital age, where telecommunications services form the backbone of our economic and social interactions, proper management of consumer credits becomes increasingly critical, she said.

“The proposed Guidance aligns with our broader commitment to consumer protection, while acknowledging the operational realities faced by our licensees,” she stated.