NCC, CBN Launch Real-Time Fraud Detection Portal To Close Nigeria’s Digital Identity Vulnerability
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the creation of a fraud detection portal. The Telecom Identity Risk Management System (TIRMS) Portal was launched on April 20, 2026. It is a centralized system designed to give banks, fintechs, and telecom operators instant visibility into the status of mobile numbers used in financial transactions, flagging high-risk numbers, including those recently swapped, recycled, or blacklisted, allowing service providers to block suspicious transactions before fraud occurs.
The platform will enable service providers, including banks and telecom operators, to verify mobile numbers flagged for suspicious or fraudulent activities before granting access to services, enhancing accountability and improving trust in Nigeria’s digital ecosystem.
NCC Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Dr Aminu Maida stated that the collaboration is designed “For the prevention of electronic fraud, which has become increasingly pervasive, with significant implications for the integrity of our digital economy. Through the TIRMS Portal, which aggregates data on churned (recycled) phone numbers, as well as numbers flagged within your sector, the Financial Services Industry will now have enhanced visibility into the status of phone numbers.”
CBN Governor Olayemi Cardoso described the MoU as one that will strengthen coordination on approvals, technical standards, and innovation trials, including sandbox testing that supports market-led solutions while safeguarding stability, committing the CBN to “delivering a safer, more resilient, and more inclusive digital financial system, one that supports national productivity, protects consumers, and strengthens trust in Nigeria’s digital economy.”
The platform, whose development began in March 2024, will be hosted by the NCC but made accessible to key stakeholders, including the CBN, Securities and Exchange Commission, pension regulators, the National Identity Management Commission, and security agencies.
The NCC has proposed amendments to existing regulations including new rules requiring telecom operators to notify subscribers at least 14 days before deactivating their lines, while operators will be mandated to submit details of churned numbers to TIRMS within seven days.
