NCC proposes 12-month grace period – A must read for deactivated lines victims

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The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has proposed a 12-month grace period for subscribers to reclaim unused airtime on deactivated lines.

The proposal was introduced by the NCC’s Executive Vice Chairman/CEO, Aminu Maida, during a virtual stakeholder engagement forum in Abuja on Tuesday. Maida was represented by the Executive Commissioner for Stakeholder Management, Rimini Makama.

Maida explained that the initiative aims to balance consumer rights with the operational realities of the telecommunications sector.

He noted that the telecommunications industry has been instrumental in driving economic growth, financial inclusion, and digital transformation in Nigeria, highlighting how mobile services and the flexibility of prepaid plans have benefited millions of Nigerians.

According to him, as the landscape evolves, it is important to address emerging challenges that could threaten consumer rights. The proposed framework is designed to tackle the issue of unclaimed recharges when accounts become inactive.

Maida noted, “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.”

Under the new framework, subscribers whose lines have been churned will have a one-year period to reclaim their unused airtime, as long as they can verify ownership. This initiative seeks to strike a balance between consumer protection and the practicalities of maintaining an efficient telecommunications industry.

He added that the ongoing debate revolves around whether operators should be required to refund unused airtime or whether the “use it or lose it” principle should apply, emphasizing that the goal is to create a framework that protects consumers while supporting the industry’s efficiency and competitiveness.

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Mrs. Chizua Whyte, Head of Legal and Regulatory Services at the NCC, also spoke at the forum, stating that the Draft Guidance on Unutilized and Unclaimed Subscribers’ Recharges is an important step in fulfilling the commission’s mandate to develop regulatory tools that foster a dynamic communications market.

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