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The short answer
Under the NCC's published rules, a Nigerian line with no revenue-generating activity for six months can be partially barred, and after twelve months it may be churned and the number given to someone else. From Canada, the reliable ways to protect a prepaid line are to use it regularly or subscribe to your network's Keep My Number service; as at October 2026 MTN charges ₦3,500 for one year and Airtel ₦2,000 for one year.
Your Nigerian number is often the key to your Nigerian money. Banks send one-time passwords to it, your BVN record carries it, and fintech apps use it to confirm who you are. If you move to Toronto, Calgary or Halifax and the line goes quiet, you can lose it without noticing until a bank asks for a code you cannot receive. This guide sets out what the regulator says about idle lines, what the two networks we checked offer for people abroad, and the practical choices from Canada.
What happens to a line you stop using
The Nigerian Communications Commission explains the rules on its consumer portal (article dated 30 July 2026). A line counts as active when it has revenue-generating activity, which the NCC lists as calls made or received, SMS, data use or USSD sessions. Travelling abroad is named as one of the common reasons lines fall idle.
| Time without activity | What the NCC says can happen |
|---|---|
| 6 months | Partial barring: the line can only receive calls |
| A further 6 months (12 in total) | The line may be churned and the number recycled to a new subscriber |
The same page says a line can be parked "for a nominal fee for a year" but does not give the fee or say how operators must warn you. In practice that parking service is what the networks sell as Keep My Number. Once a number has been recycled, it belongs to someone else, and any bank alerts or codes still tied to it would go to that person. That is the risk to plan around.
Keep My Number: what MTN and Airtel publish
Both networks offer a paid subscription that stops an idle prepaid number being disconnected. Neither service is available for postpaid lines, according to their own pages.
| MTN | Airtel | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it is for | Prepaid lines abroad or dormant more than 180 days | Prepaid lines abroad or inactive for over 180 days |
| 1 year | ₦3,500 (*365*1#) | ₦2,000 (*494*1#) |
| 2 years | ₦5,000 (*365*2#) | ₦3,500 (*494*2#) |
| 3 years | ₦7,500 (*365*3#) | ₦5,000 (*494*3#) |
| If it lapses | Number disconnected and recycled if not renewed | Number "will be disconnected or recycled" if idle |
Prices are as shown on the MTN and Airtel Keep My Number pages in October 2026; check the page or dial the code before paying, because tariffs change. Airtel says you can subscribe while roaming as long as the line has airtime, and that it notifies you before the subscription ends. MTN also accepts the request by SMS to 36500. We did not find a current Keep My Number page for Glo or T2 (formerly 9mobile), so ask those networks directly if your line is with them.
Worked example
Example only. If you expect to be in Canada for three years and your line is on MTN, buying one year at a time costs 3 × ₦3,500 = ₦10,500, while the three-year option costs ₦7,500, a saving of ₦3,000. On Airtel, three single years cost 3 × ₦2,000 = ₦6,000 against ₦5,000 for three years. The longer plan also removes the risk of forgetting a renewal.
Roaming in Canada: useful, but not a plan on its own
Putting the Nigerian SIM in your phone in Canada and roaming keeps it active, since received calls and SMS count. It can also be expensive. MTN TravelPass, for example, is priced in naira by the day, week or month, and MTN listed a 30-day 5GB data plan at ₦40,000 when we checked in October 2026. Other networks sell their own roaming bundles. Before relying on roaming, confirm on the network's roaming page that Canada and your Canadian partner network are covered, and that your phone supports VoLTE where the network says it is needed for calls.
Many people in Canada use a dual-SIM phone instead: a Canadian SIM or eSIM for daily use and the Nigerian SIM in the second slot, with data roaming switched off. Incoming SMS for bank codes usually still arrive, but roaming SMS charges depend on your network, so check its roaming rates.
eSIM: what the networks actually say
Moving your Nigerian number to an eSIM can free a slot, but the MTN and Airtel pages describe an in-person process in Nigeria. MTN says an agent at an MTN store checks the device and gives you a QR code. Airtel issues eSIM through a SIM swap at an Airtel service centre or showroom, and a move to a new phone needs a new swap and QR code. Neither page offers remote eSIM issue for customers abroad, so plan the change for your next trip home.
What to check first
- Is the line prepaid? Keep My Number on MTN and Airtel is for prepaid only.
- Is your NIN linked to the line? Lines without NIN linkage have been barred under NCC directives, so confirm the linkage with your network.
- Which number is on your BVN and your Nigerian bank accounts? That is the line you cannot afford to lose. See changing your BVN phone number from Canada if you want to move to another number.
- How long will you be away? Pick a Keep My Number term that covers it, and diarise the expiry.
- Can a trusted relative in Nigeria top up the line and make a call now and then as a back-up?
If the line has already been barred, the network's Welcome Back service may restore it; our Nigeria guide to recovering an old MTN line covers that route. If it has been recycled, the number cannot simply be reclaimed, and you will need to update your bank and BVN details with a new one. Keeping Nigerian accounts in use matters too; see keeping a Nigerian bank account active from Canada.
Where Pryme fits
Pryme does not send SMS codes: account security uses an authenticator app and a transaction PIN, described on our security page, so your access does not depend on a Nigerian line staying alive. A Pryme account can be opened from Canada and holds naira alongside other currencies.
Questions people ask
How long before my Nigerian SIM is recycled if I live in Canada?
The NCC says a line with no revenue-generating activity for six months can be partially barred, and after twelve months in total it may be churned and the number recycled.
Does receiving calls in Canada keep my MTN line active?
The NCC counts calls made or received, SMS, data and USSD as activity, so roaming use counts. Roaming charges apply, so check MTN's roaming rates for Canada first.
How much is MTN Keep My Number?
As at October 2026 MTN lists ₦3,500 for one year, ₦5,000 for two years and ₦7,500 for three years, for prepaid lines, via *365#.
Can I get a Nigerian eSIM while in Canada?
The MTN and Airtel pages we read describe eSIM issue in person at a store or dealer in Nigeria. None offered remote issue for customers abroad.
Sources
- NCC Consumer Portal: All you need to know about churned lines (30 Jul 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- MTN Nigeria: Keep My Number · accessed Oct 2026
- Airtel Nigeria: Keep My Number · accessed Oct 2026
- MTN Nigeria: TravelPass FAQ · accessed Oct 2026
- Airtel Nigeria: eSIM · accessed Oct 2026
- MTN Nigeria: eSIM · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.