The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is strengthening the monitoring and enforcement of Type Approval requirements through a technology-enabled framework designed to improve compliance across Nigeria’s communications device market.
The initiative will allow the Commission to electronically verify whether SIM-enabled devices meet the required Type Approval standards before they are sold or used in the country.
The Device Management System (DMS) will serve as the technology platform for the automated compliance framework, enabling the NCC to improve oversight of the communications device ecosystem.
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 deployed in Nigeria.
The NCC said the DMS would help strengthen compliance with technical and regulatory standards, improve network performance, identify non-compliant devices and boost consumer confidence in communications equipment sold and used in the country.
The Commission has commenced the first phase of implementing the automated Type Approval compliance framework in collaboration with key stakeholders, including the Nigeria Customs Service, Original Equipment Manufacturers, importers and relevant market associations.
The first phase focuses on registering existing devices currently 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 enter widespread use.
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 foundation for establishing a Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) for SIM-enabled communications devices in Nigeria.
Ogoh said the Commission conducted extensive stakeholder consultations and market studies after the issuance of the rules, leading to the design and deployment of the automated system.
He explained that the CEIR would maintain a central registry of the International Mobile Equipment Identity numbers of communications devices in Nigeria.
“By establishing a central registry of the International Mobile Equipment Identity numbers of devices in Nigeria, the Commission will be better positioned to ensure effective and efficient compliance with its Type Approval requirements and to ensure that devices imported into, sold and used in Nigeria meet the applicable standards,” he said.
Under the new framework, all SIM-enabled communications devices brought into Nigeria must be registered before they are sold. Devices that are not properly registered will not be permitted to operate on Nigerian mobile networks.
Ogoh said the system would also help address broader challenges in the device market. Illegally imported and non-compliant devices would be easier to detect, while devices reported stolen could be blocked from operating across Nigerian networks.
He assured the public that the platform was designed strictly to support device identification and Type Approval compliance.
According to him, the system will maintain device-identification information, including IMEI numbers, but will not give the NCC access to the content of users’ devices or enable the Commission to monitor private communications.