The Nigerian Communications Commission has assured telecommunications subscribers that its enhanced device compliance framework does not give the regulator access to private information stored on mobile phones and other SIM-enabled devices.
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The Commission said the framework is designed strictly to verify whether telecommunications equipment complies with regulatory and technical standards and should not be confused with a surveillance system.
Director of Technical Standards and Network Integrity at the NCC, Engr. Edoyemi Ogoh, gave the clarification at a news conference in Abuja amid concerns by some subscribers over the privacy implications of the Commission’s stricter checks on mobile devices.
Ogoh said the system relies on device identification information, including International Mobile Equipment Identity numbers, to establish whether phones and other telecommunications equipment have received the required regulatory approval.
According to him, the NCC cannot use the framework to read users’ messages, view photographs, access contacts or obtain financial information stored on their devices.
“The Type Approval Compliance framework is not designed for surveillance and does not provide the Commission with access to the content of communications, photographs, messages, contacts, financial information or any other personal information stored on users’ devices,” he said.
The Commission explained that the initiative is intended to strengthen compliance with its Type Approval requirements and enable regulators to identify devices that are counterfeit, cloned or otherwise non-compliant with prescribed technical standards.
It said removing such equipment from the supply chain would improve network performance, reduce security risks and increase consumer confidence in telecommunications products sold in Nigeria.
Under Section 132(2) of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003, licensed service providers, facilities providers, equipment manufacturers and suppliers are required to obtain Type Approval before communications equipment can be sold or used in the country.
The NCC issued its Type Approval Business Rules in August 2024 and subsequently held consultations with manufacturers, importers, dealers, telecommunications operators, government agencies and industry associations ahead of implementation of the framework.
The Commission said devices already in stock are being onboarded into the system, while newly imported equipment will undergo verification and authentication before entering the Nigerian telecommunications ecosystem.
It also urged consumers to verify the approval status of devices before purchasing them, particularly mobile phones, tablets, modems and Point of Sale terminals that use SIM cards.
Ogoh advised prospective buyers to ask dealers whether devices have received NCC Type Approval, warning that equipment that does not meet regulatory requirements could affect network quality and create avoidable security risks.
The Commission said it would continue to engage stakeholders and intensify public awareness as implementation of the framework progresses.
The NCC has also disclosed that about 231 million telecommunications devices have already been registered under the compliance system.
It clarified, however, that devices already connected to Nigerian telecommunications networks before the new verification framework became operational would not automatically be disconnected simply because they may not meet current approval requirements.
Newly introduced devices, on the other hand, will be expected to satisfy the Commission’s verification requirements before they can access telecommunications networks.
The NCC is also working with the Nigeria Customs Service, manufacturers, importers and dealers to authenticate telecommunications equipment before it enters the Nigerian market.
According to the Commission, the system will enable regulators to identify importers, determine when devices entered the country and establish the quantities imported, thereby strengthening enforcement against counterfeit and unauthorised telecommunications products.
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