By Peace Udugba -The daily torch media
Commission deploys Device Management System to strengthen Type Approval compliance and curb illegal device imports
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has commenced the implementation of an automated framework to strengthen compliance with Type Approval requirements for SIM-enabled communications devices in Nigeria.
The initiative, powered by the Commission’s Device Management System (DMS), is designed to electronically verify whether devices imported, sold and used in the country comply with applicable technical and regulatory standards.
The NCC said the system would enhance oversight of Nigeria’s communications device ecosystem while improving compliance, network performance and consumer confidence.
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 first phase of the automated compliance framework has commenced, with the Commission working with key stakeholders, including the Nigeria Customs Service, Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), importers and relevant market associations.
The exercise includes onboarding existing devices held in stock and ensuring that devices imported into Nigeria in the future are properly registered and authenticated.
According to the NCC, the system will provide a more effective mechanism for identifying non-compliant and illegally imported devices before they become widely used on Nigerian networks.
Speaking on the rollout, the Commission’s Director of Technical Standards and Network Integrity, Engr. Edoyemi Ogoh, said the Type Approval Business Rules issued in August 2024 provided the regulatory basis for establishing a Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) for SIM-enabled communications devices in Nigeria.
Ogoh explained that following the issuance of the rules, the Commission embarked on extensive stakeholder engagements and market studies, which informed the design and deployment of the automated system.
He said the central registry of International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers would enable the NCC to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of Type Approval compliance.
“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.
He added that the framework would help tackle broader challenges in Nigeria’s device market, including the circulation of illegally imported and non-compliant devices.
The system would also make it possible to identify devices reported stolen and block them from operating across Nigerian mobile networks.
The NCC, however, assured Nigerians that the platform is designed specifically to support device identification and Type Approval compliance.
Ogoh said the system would maintain device identification information, including IMEI numbers, but would not give the Commission access to the content of users’ devices or enable it to monitor personal communications.
The NCC said the initiative forms part of its broader efforts to safeguard Nigeria’s telecommunications ecosystem and ensure that communications devices entering the Nigerian market meet required technical and regulatory standards.
