Nigeria’s telecommunications sector is facing renewed concerns over the resurgence of call masking, an illegal practice that disguises international calls to appear as local numbers. The development has raised fresh concerns over revenue losses, consumer trust and national security, prompting the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to renew its crackdown on the practice.
Call masking allows operators to bypass international call tariffs and regulatory checks, potentially depriving telecom companies and government of significant legitimate revenue. Industry stakeholders warn that the practice also creates an uneven playing field for legitimate operators, particularly as telecom companies continue to commit huge investments to network expansion, infrastructure upgrades and 5G deployment.
Beyond the financial impact, telecom expert and former NITEL staff member Kehinde Aluko described call masking as a potential national security threat. He explained that disguising the true origin of calls can make it harder for security and law enforcement agencies to trace communications linked to fraud, cybercrime and other illegal activities. An industry player in the enterprise, wholesale and fixed-line telecommunications space also disclosed that call masking and refilling were increasingly resurfacing, urging the NCC to intensify surveillance across the sector.
The financial consequences of telecom-related sharp practices have been significant in the past. Reports indicate that Nigeria’s telecom industry lost about ₦1.06 trillion, equivalent to $3 billion at the exchange rate at the time, to practices including call masking, refilling and SIM boxing. With concerns that the activities are returning, stakeholders are calling for stronger monitoring and faster intervention to prevent a repeat of the losses.
Responding to the development, the NCC Governing Board has reaffirmed its zero-tolerance policy on call masking, describing the practice as economic sabotage. Following its 110th meeting in Abuja, the Board said renewed reports of call masking across domestic networks posed risks to the integrity, security and orderly development of Nigeria’s telecommunications industry. The Commission maintained that it would continue to take regulatory action against the practice to protect legitimate operators, government revenue and the wider Nigerian economy.
source: The Guardian
