THE Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) says it has begun electronically verifying the type approval status of SIM-enabled devices to identify and prevent fake, cloned and non-compliant equipment from connecting to telecommunications networks.
News Point Nigeria reports that Edoyemi Ogoh, the commission’s Director of Technical Standards and Network Integrity, disclosed this on Tuesday at a news conference in Abuja on the NCC’s initiatives to strengthen technical standards and network integrity.
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Type approval is the regulatory process through which the NCC certifies that telecommunications equipment meets established technical requirements before it is sold or used in Nigeria.
Ogoh said the enhanced compliance framework would strengthen oversight of devices imported, sold and used in the country.
He explained that the framework would enable the commission to verify devices against its type approval requirements, improve network performance and protect consumers from equipment that fails to meet applicable technical standards.
“We have also ensured that devices currently in stock are appropriately onboarded and that devices imported into Nigeria going forward are properly verified and authenticated,” he said.
“This will provide a more effective mechanism for identifying non-compliant, cloned, or fake devices and prevent them from connecting to our networks.”
Ogoh said the initiative followed the issuance of the commission’s type approval business rules in August 2024 and consultations with original equipment manufacturers, importers, dealers, telecommunications operators, government agencies and industry associations.
He added that the commission had worked with the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and other stakeholders across the device supply chain to support the implementation of the framework.
According to Ogoh, Section 132(2) of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003 requires communications equipment intended for sale or use in Nigeria to obtain type approval from the commission.
He said the enhanced framework would improve compliance with the requirements and help ensure that devices connecting to Nigerian telecommunications networks were compatible with the existing network infrastructure.
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The director urged consumers to confirm the type approval status of SIM-enabled devices before purchasing them.
He advised buyers to ask sellers whether phones, tablets, modems, point-of-sale (POS) terminals and other SIM-enabled devices had received NCC type approval.
Ogoh said non-compliant equipment could pose challenges to network performance and regulatory oversight, adding that effective enforcement would help protect consumers and improve the reliability of telecommunications services.
He explained that the framework was designed to strengthen confidence in devices available in the Nigerian market while ensuring that manufacturers, importers and dealers complied with applicable standards.
Addressing concerns about privacy, Ogoh said the enhanced compliance framework was limited to device identification and type approval verification and did not give the commission access to personal information stored on users’ devices.
He said the system maintained device identification information, including International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers, for regulatory purposes.
“The objective of the initiative is regulatory compliance relating to communications devices. It is not a surveillance tool and does not provide access to personal information stored on devices,” he said.
Ogoh further clarified that the framework did not provide access to users’ photographs, messages, contacts, financial information or the content of their communications.
According to the director, the commission would continue public awareness campaigns and stakeholder engagement to explain the initiative and the responsibilities of consumers and businesses.
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He said the success of the framework would depend on cooperation among government agencies, telecommunications operators, manufacturers, dealers, consumer groups and the media.
Ogoh added that the commission remained committed to strengthening technical standards and protecting consumers as Nigeria’s telecommunications sector continued to expand.
