Consumers can use the Nigerian Communications Commission’s Device Checker to check a phone’s regulatory status before buying it, the regulator said at a briefing in Kano on Thursday.
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) said its enforcement work aims to reduce the circulation of counterfeit, cloned and unauthorized devices. At a briefing in Kano on Thursday, Megana Ibrahim Ahmed, controller of the NCC Kano Zonal Office, said the Device Checker gives consumers a way to screen phones and supports compliance with technical requirements. Ahmed said the service also supports the integrity of handsets using Nigerian networks.
Consumers can enter a phone’s International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI), a unique number assigned to mobile devices, in the NCC’s Device Checker to see its status before buying it. An NCC application allows authorized stakeholders to scan IMEIs and upload device details.
Ahmed said the checker confirms a handset’s identity and regulatory status but does not access personal content stored on the phone. The NCC says consumers who need help with device verification or other telecommunications complaints can call its toll-free number, 315.
The commission said it streamlined licensing and regularization, allowing several device dealers in Kano State to obtain licenses. It has also held awareness programs and industry engagements in Lagos and elsewhere to explain type approval requirements to importers and other stakeholders.
Manufacturers, importers, distributors and dealers can consult the NCC’s Type Approval and Device Verification Guide to understand their obligations. Businesses seeking type approval can find application requirements and procedures on the commission’s website. The NCC also urged consumers to buy from reputable, licensed dealers.
