NCC proposes 12-month grace period for reclaiming unused airtime on deactivated lines
On Wednesday, April 9, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) proposed a 12-month grace period for subscribers to reclaim unused airtime on deactivated mobile lines.
The proposal was made during a virtual stakeholder engagement forum in Abuja, where the Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of the NCC, Aminu Maida, was represented by the Executive Commissioner for Stakeholder Management, Rimini Makama.
Maida explained that the proposal is part of efforts to strike a balance between consumer rights and the operational realities in Nigeria’s telecommunications sector. He emphasized that the telecommunications industry has been key in driving economic growth, financial inclusion, and digital transformation in the country, benefiting millions of Nigerians through the availability of mobile services and flexible prepaid plans.
As the industry continues to evolve, Maida noted that new challenges have emerged that could affect consumer rights. He stated that the new initiative aims to address the issue of unused airtime when accounts become inactive.
“The Quality-of-Service Business Rules 2024 stipulate that a prepaid line without a revenue-generating event for six months must be deactivated. If the inactivity continues for another six months, the line may be recycled,” Maida explained.
Under the proposed framework, subscribers whose lines have been deactivated would have up to one year to reclaim their unused airtime, as long as they can verify ownership of the account. The initiative aims to protect consumers while also considering the practical needs of maintaining an efficient telecommunications industry.
Maida added that the ongoing debate is whether telecom operators should be required to refund unused airtime or whether the “use it or lose it” principle should apply. The goal, he said, is to find a solution that protects consumers and maintains the competitiveness of the sector.
Mrs. Chizua Whyte, Head of Legal and Regulatory Services at the NCC, also spoke at the forum, describing the Draft Guidance on Unutilized and Unclaimed Subscribers’ Recharges as a vital step in helping the NCC fulfill its mandate to create regulatory frameworks that support a vibrant communications market.
