The commission said the initiative was designed to strengthen regulatory oversight, improve network performance and protect consumers from devices that fail to meet established technical standards.
The Director of Technical Standards and Network Integrity at the NCC, Edoyemi Ogoh, disclosed this on Tuesday at a news conference on the commission’s technical standards and network integrity initiatives in Abuja.
Ogoh explained that type approval is a regulatory process through which the commission certifies that telecommunications equipment meets prescribed technical requirements before it can be sold or used in the country.
He said the enhanced compliance framework would enable the NCC to verify devices against its type approval requirements, ensuring that equipment imported, marketed and used in Nigeria meets the necessary standards.
“We have also ensured that devices currently in stock are appropriately onboarded and that devices imported into Nigeria going forward are properly verified and authenticated,” he said.
“This will provide a more effective mechanism for identifying non-compliant, cloned, or fake devices and prevent them from connecting to our networks.”
According to Ogoh, the initiative followed the introduction of the commission’s Type Approval Business Rules in August 2024 and subsequent consultations with original equipment manufacturers, importers, dealers, telecommunications operators, government agencies and industry associations.
He added that the NCC had collaborated with the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and other stakeholders across the device supply chain to facilitate the implementation of the framework.
Citing Section 132(2) of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003, Ogoh said communications equipment intended for sale or use in Nigeria must obtain type approval from the commission.
He noted that the enhanced verification process would improve compliance with the law and help ensure that devices connecting to Nigerian telecommunications networks were compatible with existing infrastructure.
The commission urged consumers to verify the type approval status of SIM-enabled devices before purchasing them.
Ogoh advised buyers to ask retailers whether devices such as mobile phones, tablets, modems and point-of-sale (POS) terminals had received the required NCC certification.
He warned that equipment that fails to meet technical standards could undermine network performance and complicate regulatory oversight.
According to him, effective enforcement of the requirements would help safeguard consumers, improve the reliability of telecommunications services and strengthen confidence in devices available in the Nigerian market.
He also stressed that manufacturers, importers and dealers had a responsibility to ensure that the equipment they supplied complied with applicable regulations.
Ogoh clarified that the electronic verification framework was strictly intended for device identification and regulatory compliance and would not give the commission access to personal information stored on users’ devices.
He said the system would retain device identification details, including International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers, for regulatory purposes.
“The objective of the initiative is regulatory compliance relating to communications devices. It is not a surveillance tool and does not provide access to personal information stored on devices,” he said.
He added that the framework would not grant access to users’ photographs, messages, contacts, financial information or the contents of their communications.
The director said the commission would sustain public awareness campaigns and consultations with stakeholders to explain how the system works and clarify the responsibilities of consumers and businesses.
He maintained that successful implementation would require cooperation among government agencies, telecommunications operators, equipment manufacturers, dealers, consumer groups and the media.
Ogoh reaffirmed the NCC’s commitment to enforcing technical standards, protecting consumers and supporting the continued growth of Nigeria’s telecommunications industry.
