NCC Begins Checks On SIM-Enabled Devices, Blocks Unapproved Phones
Princess-Ekwi Ajide
As Nigeria’s mobile device market expands, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is moving to close gaps that allow unapproved and illegally imported devices to enter the country’s communications ecosystem.
The Commission said it is strengthening enforcement of its Type Approval requirements through a technology-enabled framework that will electronically verify compliance of SIM-enabled devices.
At the centre of the initiative is the Device Management System (DMS), which will support a central registry of International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers and enable the NCC to identify devices that do not meet regulatory requirements.
The NCC said all SIM-enabled communications devices imported into Nigeria will be required to be registered before they are sold. Devices that are not registered will not be allowed to operate on Nigerian mobile networks.
The move is anchored on Section 132(2) of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003, which requires manufacturers, suppliers and licensed service and facilities providers to obtain Type Approval before communications equipment can be sold or used in Nigeria.
According to the Commission’s Director of Technical Standards and Network Integrity, Engr. Edoyemi Ogoh, the framework will also make it easier to identify illegally imported and non-compliant devices, while stolen devices can be blocked from Nigerian networks.
The NCC said the first phase of implementation has begun, with the Commission working with the Nigeria Customs Service, original equipment manufacturers, importers and market associations to register devices already in stock and authenticate future imports.
Ogoh, however, stressed that the system is designed strictly for device identification and Type Approval compliance.
It will not give the NCC access to the contents of users’ devices or enable it to monitor personal communications.
Join Our WhatsApp Community
