NCC moves to block unregistered SIM-enabled devices from Nigerian networks

Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has strengthened enforcement of its Type Approval regime, with a new technology-enabled framework that will prevent unregistered SIM-enabled devices from operating on Nigerian mobile networks.

The commission said the framework, supported by its Device Management System (DMS), will enable it to electronically verify whether communications devices imported, sold and used in Nigeria have met mandatory Type Approval requirements.

Under Section 132(2) of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003, telecommunications service and facilities providers, equipment manufacturers and suppliers are required to obtain Type Approval from the NCC before communications equipment can be sold or used in Nigeria.

The commission said the new system is designed to improve its oversight of Nigeria’s growing device ecosystem while making it easier to identify non-compliant and illegally imported devices.

The first phase of the implementation has already commenced and focuses on onboarding existing devices held in stock, as well as ensuring that devices imported into Nigeria going forward are properly registered and authenticated.

The NCC is working with the Nigeria Customs Service, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), importers and relevant market associations as part of the rollout.

Edoyemi Ogoh, director of Technical Standards and Network Integrity at the NCC, said the framework is based on the Type Approval Business Rules issued in August 2024, which provided for the establishment of a Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) for SIM-enabled communications devices in Nigeria.

Ogoh said the central registry would contain the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers of devices in the country, giving the commission greater visibility over devices entering and operating within the Nigerian telecommunications ecosystem.

“With the deployment of this system, all SIM-enabled communications devices brought into the country must be registered before they are sold,” Ogoh said.

“Devices that are not duly registered will not be permitted to operate on Nigerian networks.”

The move can significantly change how mobile phones and other SIM-enabled communications devices are imported and sold in Nigeria, particularly by increasing compliance requirements for manufacturers, importers and distributors.

It also gives the NCC a stronger mechanism to distinguish approved devices from those that may have entered the country outside approved channels.

The commission said the system would also help tackle stolen-device usage by enabling devices reported stolen to be identified and blocked from use across Nigerian mobile networks.

For consumers, the framework could provide an additional layer of assurance that devices purchased through the formal market have met applicable technical standards and are legally authorised for use in Nigeria.

The NCC said the initiative is also expected to support network performance by reducing the presence of devices that do not comply with prescribed technical standards.

However, the rollout is likely to make device registration and authentication important for consumers, retailers and importers, as the commission moves from registering existing stock to enforcing registration for new devices entering the country.

The NCC also sought to address potential privacy concerns surrounding the system.

Ogoh said the DMS is designed specifically for device identification and Type Approval compliance and does not give the commission access to the contents of users’ devices or enable it to monitor personal communications.

The commission said the system only maintains device identification information, including IMEI numbers.

The development marks a further expansion of the NCC’s efforts to bring greater visibility and control to Nigeria’s telecommunications device market, at a time when the country has millions of mobile-connected devices in circulation.

With the DMS and CEIR framework, the regulator will have a central mechanism for authenticating devices and identifying those that do not meet Nigeria’s regulatory requirements before they become widely used on local networks. (BusinessDay)