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This Forum on Draft Guidance on Unutilized and Unclaimed Subscribers’ Recharges in the Nigerian communications cector represents a crucial step in fulfilling the commission’s mandate to create and develop regulatory instruments that foster a vibrant communications market and regulatory environment benefiting all stakeholders.
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The Nigerian Communications Commission, empowered through the Nigerian Communications Act 2003, continues to develop and refine regulatory instruments governing our industry. Today’s session addresses a matter of significant importance that affects millions of Nigerian subscribers and will also impact on the processes of the Mobile Network Operators (MNOs).
The issue of unutilized and unclaimed recharges on churned subscriber lines represents both a consumer protection challenge and a regulatory opportunity. When subscribers are disconnected after extended periods of inactivity as defined by our Quality of Service Regulations, many leave behind unused credits.
This Draft Guidance seeks to establish clear, fair, and transparent procedures for managing these funds, ensuring that subscribers maintain rightful access to their purchased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.
Key provisions of this Draft GuidanceÂ
12-month window for subscribers to claim unutilized recharges
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.
Operators must conduct audits of churned numbers
Secondly, requiring operators to conduct comprehensive audits of all churned numbers and submit detailed documentation of all unclaimed and unutilized recharges, ensuring transparency and accountability in the process.
Unclaimed recharges cannot be monetized
Thirdly, directing that 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.
Timelines for implementation
The Commission has also outlined clear timelines for implementation, with operators expected to achieve full compliance within ninety 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.
The proposed Guidance aligns with our broader commitment to consumer protection while acknowledging the operational realities faced by our licensees. The Nigerian Communications Commission and stakeholders across the industry have worked diligently to advance our communications ecosystem.
Another step forward in creating an environment of regulatory excellence
This Draft Guidance represents another step forward in creating an environment of regulatory excellence that protects consumer interests while providing clarity to service providers. Your input and comments during this session will be vital in refining this Guidance. We value your expertise, experience, and insights as we work to ensure the final framework serves the needs of all stakeholders.
We wish to reassure you that the Commission remains committed to upholding the highest standards of service and ensuring that the industry continues to evolve and thrive. This Stakeholders’ forum stands as testament to our commitment to transparent and collaborative regulation.
Together, we can develop guidelines that are fair, practical and serve the collective interests of Nigerian consumers, operators, and our growing digital economy. Thank you for your time, your commitment, and your contributions to this process.
We look forward to a productive session that will shape the future management of unutilized and unclaimed recharges in our communications sector.
- Mrs. Chizua Whyte, Head, Legal & Regulatory Services, Nigerian Communications Commission
