The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is moving to tighten its oversight of Nigeria’s telecommunications device market with the deployment of a technology-enabled framework that will identify and prevent unregistered SIM-enabled devices from operating on Nigerian networks.
The initiative, built around the Commission’s Device Management System (DMS), is designed to automate enforcement of Type Approval requirements and give the regulator greater visibility over communications devices imported, sold and used in the country.
Under the new framework, all SIM-enabled communications devices brought into Nigeria will be required to be registered before they are sold, while devices that are not duly registered will not be permitted to operate on Nigerian networks.
The move is expected to strengthen the integrity of the device ecosystem, improve compliance with technical standards and make it easier for the regulator to identify non-compliant and illegally imported devices.
The NCC said it has commenced the first phase of implementing the automated Type Approval compliance framework, working with key stakeholders including the Nigeria Customs Service, Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), importers and relevant market associations.
The first phase focuses on onboarding existing devices held in stock and ensuring that devices imported into Nigeria going forward are properly registered and authenticated.
The Commission said the approach would provide a more effective mechanism for detecting non-compliant devices before they gain widespread use on Nigerian networks.
The technology framework is anchored on a Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR), which maintains a registry of the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers of SIM-enabled communications devices in Nigeria.
Edoyemi Ogoh, director of technical standards and network integrity at the NCC, said the regulatory foundation for the CEIR was established through the Type Approval Business Rules issued in August 2024.
He said the Commission subsequently conducted extensive stakeholder engagements and market studies which informed the design and deployment of the system.
According to Ogoh, the central registry would enable the NCC to enforce its Type Approval requirements more efficiently and ensure that devices imported into, sold and used in Nigeria comply with applicable standards.
“By establishing a central registry of the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers of devices in Nigeria, the Commission will be better positioned to ensure effective and efficient compliance with its Type Approval requirements,” he said.
The development represents a development from a largely conventional compliance approach towards automated monitoring of the telecommunications device ecosystem.
Beyond Type Approval enforcement, the NCC said the system would address wider challenges affecting Nigeria’s device market.
According to Ogoh, illegally imported and non-compliant devices would become easier to identify under the new framework, while stolen devices reported to the relevant authorities could be blocked from operating across Nigerian mobile networks.
The Commission said this would strengthen consumer protection and confidence in devices sold in the Nigerian market, while also supporting improved network performance.
The regulator is also relying on collaboration with Customs, manufacturers, importers and market associations to ensure that devices entering the country are properly captured within the system.
Under Section 132(2) of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003, licensed service and facilities providers, equipment manufacturers and suppliers are required to obtain Type Approval from the Commission before communications equipment can be sold or used in Nigeria.
The deployment of the device-monitoring framework could raise questions around privacy and the extent of regulatory visibility over connected devices.
However, the NCC said the platform is designed solely to support device identification and Type Approval compliance.
Ogoh assured the public that the system maintains device identification information, including IMEI numbers, but does not give the Commission access to the contents of users’ devices or enable it to monitor personal communications.
The NCC said the overall objective is to ensure that communications devices entering and circulating within Nigeria meet applicable technical and regulatory standards while improving the efficiency and consistency of enforcement.
The automated framework is consequently expected to give the Commission a stronger tool for managing the device ecosystem, while creating a more structured compliance environment for manufacturers, importers, suppliers and other market participants.
