Nigeria’s telecoms regulator is tightening checks on manufacturers, importers and dealers, requiring IMEI submissions and warning that non-compliant devices could be blocked from local mobile networks.
The Nigerian Communications Commission has warned manufacturers, importers, distributors and dealers of SIM-enabled devices that products which fail its type approval and verification checks may be barred from Nigerian mobile networks. In a notice signed by the commission’s director of public affairs, Nnenna Ukoha, the regulator said it is tightening monitoring through technology-enabled compliance tools to ensure that devices brought into the country meet required technical and regulatory standards.
The move draws on powers under the Nigerian Communications Act 2003 and the NCC’s updated Type Approval Regulations 2024 and Type Approval Business Rules 2024. According to the commission’s own type approval guidance, manufacturers, vendors and operators must ensure equipment conforms to standards linked to international technical bodies before it is introduced into Nigeria. The NCC says the aim is to protect the network environment, reduce the circulation of substandard equipment and improve consumer safety.
Under the new enforcement approach, OEMs, ODMs, importers and other suppliers must submit International Mobile Equipment Identity information for individual devices through the approved process before sale or distribution. The commission’s Device Checker guidance says this applies not only to imports and sales, but also to installation and wider market circulation of SIM-enabled devices. Industry-facing materials from the regulator say the strengthened framework is intended to verify devices electronically before they reach consumers.
The NCC also wants distributors, dealers and retailers to examine stock already in their supply chains and work with suppliers to address any compliance gaps. New imports must meet the same conditions before reaching the market. The commission said it has already held engagements with OEMs, ODMs, importers and industry groups as part of a participatory regulatory approach, while businesses unfamiliar with the process have been told to seek support through the NCC’s approved onboarding channels.
The regulator said the automated compliance system will improve oversight of devices entering Nigeria and help identify irregularities in importation and distribution. Reports from Nigerian media outlets say the system is being implemented with the Nigeria Customs Service and is designed to reconcile import records, support duty compliance and promote fair competition. The NCC has also linked the framework to a Central Equipment Identity Register and a broader device management system that can track IMEI numbers and block unregistered or illicit devices from operating on local networks.
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