NCC Registers 231m Devices, Moves Against Unapproved Phones

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has registered approximately 231 million telecommunications devices across Nigeria as it begins implementing a verification system to prevent counterfeit, cloned and unapproved phones from accessing mobile networks.

The Director of Technical Standards and Network Integrity at the commission, Mr Edoyemi Ogoh, disclosed this during a media briefing on the implementation of the Device Checker and Type Approval Compliance framework in Abuja on Tuesday.

Ogoh said devices already operating on Nigerian networks had been automatically captured in the registry, meaning existing subscribers would not need to undertake additional registration.

He clarified that previously connected devices, including those that might not meet current approval standards, would not be retrospectively blacklisted.

The commission said the decision was intended to protect consumers who had purchased devices without access to the new verification system, while preventing additional non-compliant equipment from entering the telecommunications ecosystem.

Under the framework, newly introduced devices must meet the commission’s verification requirements before they can access Nigerian telecommunications networks.

Ogoh said the NCC was collaborating with the Nigeria Customs Service, manufacturers, importers and dealers to ensure that devices were authenticated before entering the market.

The system would also enable regulators to identify the importer, date of importation and quantity of individual devices, strengthening enforcement against suppliers of counterfeit and unapproved equipment.

The initiative follows the introduction of the Type Approval Business Rules in August 2024 and subsequent consultations with industry stakeholders.

Section 132(2) of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003 requires telecommunications equipment to obtain regulatory approval before it can be sold or used in Nigeria.

Ogoh explained that counterfeit devices could affect network quality because faulty equipment might interfere with telecommunications infrastructure and disrupt services for other subscribers connected to the same cell site.

He advised Nigerians to dial *315# or visit the NCC’s Device Checker portal to confirm whether their phones, tablets, modems and other SIM-enabled devices had been approved.

Subscribers can retrieve their devices’ International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers by dialling *#06#.

The director advised consumers who purchased unverified devices to contact their sellers for replacements. Those whose complaints remained unresolved could contact the commission through its toll-free 315 helpline.

Addressing concerns about surveillance, Ogoh said the verification system was designed for device identification and regulatory compliance, not to monitor subscribers’ personal communications.

He explained that the platform relied on device identification information and did not provide access to messages, photographs, contacts or financial records stored on users’ devices.

The NCC said the initiative was intended to improve consumer protection, strengthen compliance with technical standards and enhance the quality of telecommunications services across the country.

The commission also urged journalists to help educate the public about the new requirements to ensure that consumers and businesses understood how the system would operate.