The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has reiterated its resolve comply with its mandate to ensure that communications devices imported, sold and used in Nigeria meet applicable technical and regulatory standards.

To this end, the NCC is strengthening the monitoring and enforcement of its Type Approval requirements through a technology enabled framework, according to Nnenna Ukoha, Director, Public Affairs.

The initiative, she noted, “is intended to make Type Approval compliance more efficient, consistent, and effective by enabling the Commission to electronically determine Type Approval compliance of SIM enabled devices”.

According to Ukoha: “The Device Management System (DMS) will serve as the technology platform supporting this automated compliance framework, allowing the commission to improve oversight of the device ecosystem.

“Beyond improving Type Approval compliance, the technology will help address some of the wider challenges associated with the device market. Illegally imported and non-compliant devices will be easier to identify, while devices reported stolen can be blocked from use across Nigerian mobile networks”.

She emphasised that devices not duly registered, will not be permitted to operate on Nigerian networks, going forward.

She also assured the public that the Commission had designed platform solely to support device identification and Type Approval compliance. 

She added that device identification information, including IMEI numbers, will be protected the prevent unauthorized access to the content of users’ devices, amd equally prevent access by the Commission’s personnel to monitor personal communications.