NCC Tightens Approval Checks for Mobile Phones

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has tightened checks on mobile phones and other SIM-enabled devices to prevent unapproved products from entering Nigeria’s telecommunications networks.

The move will help the regulator identify counterfeit, illegally imported and non-compliant devices before they reach consumers.

In a statement signed on Wednesday by the Director, Public Affairs, Nnenna Ukoha, the NCC said it had deployed a technology-based system to strengthen compliance with its Type Approval requirements.

Type Approval is the process through which the Commission confirms that communications equipment meets the required technical and regulatory standards before sale or use in Nigeria.

The new Device Management System (DMS) will automatically check the approval status of SIM-enabled devices.

It will also keep records that allow the NCC to identify devices that fail to meet the required standards.

The Commission has started the first phase of the programme with the Nigeria Customs Service, original equipment manufacturers, importers and market associations.

The exercise will cover devices already in stock. It will also authenticate newly imported devices before they reach the market.

The NCC said the system would make it easier to detect non-compliant devices before they become widely used on Nigerian mobile networks.

The Director, Technical Standards and Network Integrity, Engr. Edoyemi Ogoh, said the initiative draws from the Type Approval Business Rules issued in August 2024.

The rules provide for a Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR), which will maintain a central record of SIM-enabled communications devices in the country.

Ogoh said the system would rely on the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI), a unique number assigned to mobile phones and other compatible devices.

“By establishing a central registry of the International Mobile Equipment Identity numbers of devices in Nigeria, the Commission will be better positioned to ensure effective and efficient compliance with its Type Approval requirements,” he said.

The NCC said all SIM-enabled communications devices imported into Nigeria must undergo registration before they can enter the market.

The system will also help the Commission tackle counterfeit phones and devices with duplicated IMEI numbers.

It will further support efforts to identify stolen phones and prevent them from operating on Nigerian networks.

Ogoh, however, assured phone users that the DMS would not give the NCC access to private information stored on their devices.

He said the platform would only retain device identification details, including IMEI numbers.

“It does not provide the Commission with access to the content of users’ devices, nor does it enable the Commission to monitor personal communications,” he said.

The NCC said the initiative would strengthen consumer protection and improve confidence in mobile phones and other communications equipment sold in Nigeria.

It added that tighter device controls could also improve network performance by keeping non-compliant equipment off telecommunications networks.

The Commission’s existing Type Approval regime covers mobile phones, tablets and other communications equipment. Manufacturers and suppliers must meet technical requirements before such devices can be sold or used in Nigeria.