The Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC has commenced the rollout of an automated framework that will require SIM-enabled communications devices to be registered before they can be sold or operate on Nigerian mobile networks.
The initiative, powered by the Commission’s Device Management System (DMS), is aimed at strengthening compliance with Type Approval requirements and enabling the NCC to identify non-compliant and illegally imported devices.
The Commission said the first phase of the implementation involves onboarding existing devices held in stock and ensuring that devices imported into Nigeria in the future are properly registered and authenticated.
The framework is being implemented in collaboration with the Nigeria Customs Service, Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), importers and relevant market associations.
Under Section 132(2) of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003, communications equipment manufacturers, suppliers and licensed service and facilities providers are required to obtain Type Approval from the NCC before equipment can be sold or used in Nigeria.
The NCC said the automated framework would establish a central registry of the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers of SIM-enabled devices in the country.
Speaking on the rollout, the Commission’s Director of Technical Standards and Network Integrity, Engr. Edoyemi Ogoh, said the initiative followed the Type Approval Business Rules issued in August 2024 and subsequent stakeholder engagements and market studies.
Ogoh said the central registry would enable the Commission to more effectively determine whether devices imported, sold and used in Nigeria comply with applicable technical standards.
“With the deployment of this system, all SIM-enabled communications devices brought into the country must be registered before they are sold,” he said.
“Devices that are not duly registered will not be permitted to operate on Nigerian networks.”
The NCC said the system would also make it easier to identify illegally imported and non-compliant devices, while supporting efforts to block devices reported stolen from operating on Nigerian mobile networks.
According to the Commission, improved monitoring of the device ecosystem could also support network performance and strengthen consumer confidence in communications devices sold in the country.
The NCC said the DMS would serve as the technology platform for the automated Type Approval compliance framework, allowing the Commission to improve oversight of communications devices from importation through deployment.
Ogoh, however, assured users that the platform was designed for device identification and regulatory compliance and would not give the Commission access to the contents of users’ devices or enable it to monitor personal communications.
He said the system would maintain device identification information, including IMEI numbers, without providing access to users’ private communications.