The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is confronting a growing threat to the integrity of Nigeria’s telecommunications system, warning that the resurgence of call masking is no longer simply a technical or regulatory nuisance, but a practice with wider economic and security consequences.
The warning followed the 110th meeting of the NCC Board in Abuja recently, where the Board expressed concern over renewed call masking activities across the telecommunications industry.
Call masking allows a caller to conceal the actual number from which a call originates while displaying a different virtual or local number on the recipient’s phone. While the technology can have legitimate applications, its misuse can obscure the identity and origin of calls, creating risks for consumers, operators and regulators.
The NCC Board described the resurgence as unacceptable and reaffirmed the commission’s zero-tolerance position, arguing that the practice undermines legitimate telecommunications operations, distorts industry revenues and could adversely affect the wider economy.
The commission considers such activities capable of constituting economic sabotage, particularly where they interfere with legitimate traffic, revenue flows and the regulatory integrity of the telecommunications market.
The Board said the NCC would work with security and law-enforcement agencies, alongside telecommunications operators and other industry stakeholders, to identify, prevent and eliminate call masking activities.
The renewed concern comes as the commission prepares to introduce another layer of protection around telecommunications identities.
The Telecommunications Identity Risk Management System (TIRMS), together with its associated business rules, is scheduled to go live in October. The system is expected to strengthen governance around mobile numbers and other telecommunications identities, particularly as phone numbers have become increasingly connected to banking, social media and other digital services.
The Board said TIRMS would help reduce risks associated with the misuse, reassignment and recycling of telecommunications identities, while strengthening consumer protection and market integrity.
The NCC is also facing another challenge that sits at the intersection of connectivity and infrastructure security.
The Board reported that mobile network operators have deployed 8,526 of 12,179 additional coverage and capacity sites committed under an earlier industry expansion programme. The achievement represents approximately 70 percent of the commitments, up from about 5,000 sites reported at the previous Board meeting.
Yet, even as network expansion accelerates, the NCC said that fibre cuts contributed to a sharp increase in network disruptions in June. The development highlights a vulnerability in Nigeria’s digital infrastructure: adding more network capacity means little if the physical infrastructure carrying that connectivity remains exposed to damage and disruption.
The Board consequently stressed the importance of network resilience and service reliability.
The commission is simultaneously strengthening its technological oversight of devices connected to the national network. Its Device Management System (DMS) is now operational and is expected to improve type-approval compliance, discourage the circulation of non-compliant devices and help combat mobile phone theft by allowing reported stolen devices to be blocked across Nigerian networks.
Beyond telecommunications security, the Board reviewed the proposed repositioning of the Digital Bridge Institute (DBI), with plans for a strategic roadmap aimed at improving the institution’s relevance and long-term sustainability.
Two independent consultancies are proposed for the exercise. One would conduct a comprehensive audit of DBI’s structure, operations, human resources and institutional position, while the other would assess the commercial and legal viability of the proposed repositioning.
The Board also reviewed progress on the NCC’s zero-rating initiative for educational platforms, which is designed to improve affordable access to digital learning. The programme, supported by the Federal Ministry of Education and other stakeholders, is scheduled to go live nationwide on October 1, 2026.
Taken together, the Board’s decisions reveal a telecommunications regulator dealing with a sector that is rapidly becoming central to virtually every aspect of Nigeria’s economy.
From protecting phone identities and preventing fraudulent call practices to securing fibre infrastructure, regulating devices and expanding digital education, the NCC’s challenge is increasingly about more than keeping Nigerians connected. It is about ensuring that the networks on which economic and social life increasingly depend remain secure, reliable and trustworthy.
