The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has developed a device-checking application to help detect counterfeit, cloned and unauthorised mobile phones and strengthen compliance with telecommunications regulations in Nigeria.
Tunji Jimoh, Zonal Controller of the commission’s Lagos office, disclosed this on Thursday during a media briefing at the NCC zonal office.
Jimoh, who represented NCC Executive Vice-Chairman, Aminu Maida, said the application enables authorised stakeholders to scan device International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers and upload the information directly to the commission’s Device Checker platform.
According to him, the initiative is designed to improve device identification, strengthen regulatory compliance and prevent non-compliant phones from circulating in the Nigerian market.
“As Nigeria’s digital economy continues to expand, it is important that devices connected to our networks comply with established technical and regulatory standards,” he said.
He added that the Device Checker platform supports the verification of Type Approval status for SIM-enabled devices and helps tackle counterfeit, cloned and unauthorised equipment.
NCC Steps Up Enforcement of Device Verification
Jimoh said the commission had streamlined its licensing and regularisation process, enabling several device dealers in Kano State to obtain the necessary licences.
He also disclosed that the NCC had organised sensitisation engagements with importers and other industry stakeholders in Lagos and other parts of the country to improve awareness of Type Approval requirements.
“Together, these initiatives have strengthened accountability across the device supply chain and improved compliance with regulatory requirements,” he said.
The commission urged manufacturers, importers, distributors and dealers to familiarise themselves with the requirements under the Device Checker framework.
NCC Says Device Checker Does Not Access Personal Data
Addressing concerns about privacy, Jimoh stressed that the platform was not designed to monitor users or access personal information stored on their phones.
“I would also like to emphasise that the Device Checker Platform is not a surveillance tool. It does not access personal data, messages, photographs, contacts, financial information, or any other private content stored on a device,” he said.
“Its purpose is limited to device identification and regulatory compliance verification.”
The NCC also advised organisations seeking equipment Type Approval to consult the requirements and application procedures available on its website.
How Nigerians Can Check Their Phones
The commission urged consumers to verify the approval status of mobile devices before purchase and patronise reputable, licensed dealers.
According to the NCC, buyers can use its Check Your Device portal to establish whether a phone has received the required regulatory approval by providing its IMEI number.
The IMEI is a unique 15-digit identification number assigned to mobile devices. Users can retrieve theirs by dialling *#06# on their phones.
The commission’s Device Checker service is also accessible by dialling *315# or visiting its official website.
The NCC had previously engaged industry stakeholders on plans to introduce a Device Management System (DMS) for registering SIM-enabled devices in Nigeria as part of efforts to tackle phone theft and counterfeiting.
