By NEWSCOUNT Desk
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has stepped up enforcement of its Type Approval requirements for SIM-enabled communications devices, warning that devices brought into Nigeria without proper registration will not be allowed to operate on Nigerian networks.
The Commission said the measure is being implemented through a technology-enabled framework under its Device Management System (DMS), which will allow it to electronically determine the Type Approval compliance status of SIM-enabled devices.
The initiative is aimed at tightening control over the communications device market and ensuring that equipment imported, sold and used in Nigeria meets the technical and regulatory standards prescribed by the Commission.
The NCC said the DMS would provide the technology platform for the automated compliance framework and strengthen its oversight of the device ecosystem.
The Commission’s action is anchored on Section 132(2) of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003, which requires licensed service and facilities providers, equipment manufacturers and suppliers to obtain Type Approval from the NCC before communications equipment can be sold or used in Nigeria.
The Commission has already commenced the first phase of the implementation and is working with the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), importers and relevant market associations.
According to the NCC, the first phase is focused on onboarding devices already held in stock and ensuring that SIM-enabled devices imported into the country from now on are appropriately registered and authenticated.
The process, it said, will give regulators a better means of identifying non-compliant and illegally imported devices before such equipment enters widespread use on Nigerian networks.
The NCC’s Director of Technical Standards and Network Integrity, Engr. Edoyemi Ogoh, said the Type Approval Business Rules issued by the Commission in August 2024 provided the regulatory framework for the establishment of a Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR), which maintains a registry of SIM-enabled communications devices in Nigeria.
Ogoh said the Commission embarked on extensive engagements with stakeholders and conducted market studies following the issuance of the rules, with the findings contributing to the eventual design and deployment of the system.
He said the central registry of International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers would give the Commission greater capacity to monitor compliance with its Type Approval requirements and ensure that devices entering the Nigerian market meet the applicable standards.
“With the deployment of this system, all SIM-enabled communications devices brought into the country must be registered before they are sold. Devices that are not duly registered will not be permitted to operate on Nigerian networks,” Ogoh said.
The new framework is also expected to address other challenges associated with the Nigerian device market.
The Commission said illegally imported and non-compliant devices would be easier to identify under the system, while devices reported stolen could be blocked from operating across Nigerian mobile networks.
The measure is expected to strengthen the ability of the Commission and other relevant stakeholders to distinguish properly approved devices from equipment that entered the country outside the required regulatory process.
The NCC said improved Type Approval compliance would also contribute to better network performance by ensuring that communications equipment connected to Nigerian networks meets the required technical specifications.
It added that the system would help protect consumers by providing stronger regulatory oversight of devices being sold in the Nigerian market and improve confidence in the quality and compliance of communications equipment.
Ogoh also sought to address concerns that may arise over the information collected through the new system, assuring the public that the platform is strictly designed to support device identification and Type Approval compliance.
He explained that the system maintains device identification information, including IMEI numbers, but does not give the Commission access to the contents of users’ devices.
According to him, the platform does not enable the Commission to monitor users’ personal communications.
The NCC said its engagement with Customs, manufacturers, importers and market associations would continue as implementation of the automated Type Approval compliance framework progresses.
The Commission said the wider objective is to establish a more efficient and consistent system for ensuring that communications devices imported, sold and used in Nigeria comply with the country’s technical and regulatory requirements.
