Telecoms: NCC, CBN deploy phone number fraud detection systems in other sectors

*The Nigerian Communications Commission affirms a renewed collaborative effort with the Central Bank of Nigeria to expand regulatory systems to more sectors of the economy, to identify recycled, or flagged phone numbers to secure bank customers’ accounts against unauthorised access

Gbenga Kayode | ConsumerConnect

In line with strategic frameworks and initiatives to tackle electronic crimes and Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) related fraud across sectors of the economy, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) are collaborating to regulate the overlapping space between telecoms and financial services.

The renewed collaboration contained in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the NCC and CBN  is particularly focused on digital payments, fraud prevention, and consumer protection in the country’s financial ecosystem.

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Other key areas of partnership between the two Federal Government organisations involve the deployment of systems to identify recycled, or flagged phone numbers to secure customers’ bank accounts against unauthorised access.

The NCC also described the collaborative with the Bank is part of efforts at preventing unauthorised access to bank customers’ accounts and digital services in the Nigerian financial ecosystem.

Maida: Core objectives of NCC, CBN sectors-wide collaborative effort

Speaking at the recent 95th Telecom Consumer Parliament (TCP), in Lagos, Dr. Aminu Maida, Executive Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (EVC/CEO) of NCC, said the Commission intended to expand the use of its Telecommunications Identity Risk Management System (TIRMS) to sectors where phone numbers are used to identify customers and conduct transactions.

Maida stated: “Building on our collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria, we intend to extend its use across sectors where phone numbers are used to identify customers and carry out transactions.”

Highlighting the core objectives of the regulatory initiative, the EVC/CEO of the telecoms sector regulator noted the system would help organisations to identify recycled telephone numbers, and those flagged for fraudulent activities.

The Executive Vice-Chairman of NCC also said: “By helping organisations recognise recycled numbers and numbers flagged for fraud, TIRMS can reduce the risk of someone gaining access to another person’s accounts or services.”

Maida explained that telecoms consumers’ telephone numbers have become a critical part of digital identity, as they now rely on them to access financial services, manage pensions, and shop online, among others.

NCC should expose network providers’ QoS data to consumers -CADEF Director

In his contribution at the 95th Telecom Consumer Parliament, Prof. Chiso Ndukwe-Okafor, Executive Director of Consumer Advocacy and Empowerment Foundation (CADEF), urged the Commission to publish telecoms Quality of Service (QoS) data at street and community levels, to expose persistent network failures and help subscribers make informed choices.

Ndukwe-Okafor expressed concern that 36 percent of telecoms subscriptions are still on 2G networks.

She also noted that Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) should not rely solely on smartphone applications to provide customer support.

The Executive Director of CADEF warning that such approaches to customer support could exclude consumers still using older devices and networks.

She referenced the case of an 87-year-old subscriber whose calls reportedly dropped when he moved from one part of his bedroom to another.

According to her, the problem has persisted for two years in respect of affirming MNOs’ unresolved network failures affecting telecoms consumers in the ecosystem.

Ndukwe-Okafor, however, urged greater transparency in tariffs, data usage, automatic renewals and deductions with clear timelines for reversing failed airtime and data transactions for consumers.

She further argued that telecoms subscribers should not be tossed around to move from their network operators, the NCC to other consumer protection agencies in a bid to resolve just a complaint.

Ndukwe-Okafor as well urged network operators to issue timely outage notices, provide accessible complaint channels for persons with disabilities and consumers without smartphones, and ensure that cases marked as resolved result in actual remedies rather than administrative closure.

Regulator urges commitment to consumer protection in Nigeria Digital Economy

Speaking at the forum in Lagos also, Ms. Rimini Makama, Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management (ECSM) at NCC, urged practical commitments from telecoms operators, and other stakeholders to improve service quality, billing transparency, and consumer protection in the Nigeria Digital Economy.

Ms. Makama said reliable telecoms services had become essential to the daily activities of Nigerian consumers, noting the burgeoning digital economy space.

The NCC Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management also opined that the quality of telecoms services directly have affected small business owners awaiting payment confirmations, students attending online classes, and families relying on telecoms networks to stay connected in the fast-paced Nigerian digital space.