From July, Nigerians Must Submit Their Phone IDs — NCC

The Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, has declared that
mobile subscribers in Nigeria must submit their International
Mobile Equipment Identity, IMEI, of their phones from July.

The NCC directive is contained in the revised national identity
policy for SIM card registration which was released on May 11.

According to the policy, the directive would be implemented
within three months.

The NCC said: “It is expected to curtail the counterfeit mobile
phone market, discourage mobile phone theft, enhance national
security, protect consumer interest, increase revenue generation
for the government, reduce rate of kidnapping, mitigate the use of
stolen phones for crime, and facilitate blocking or tracing of
stolen mobile phones and other smart devices.

“The agency plans to achieve this through the deployment of a
device management system (DMS) which will serve as a repository for
keeping records of all registered mobile phones’ IMEI and owners of
such devices.

“His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, has directed
that the device management system should be implemented within
three months.

“IMEIs that have been reported as either stolen or illegal will
be shared through the DMS to all the operators and service
providers.

“The purpose is to ensure that such devices do not work even if
different SIM cards are inserted in those devices.

“DMS will also provide access to all operators to cross-check
the IMEIs and their status before allowing a device to become
active on their network.

“Furthermore, registered mobile phone technicians will also be
provided with an interface to check IMEIs and ensure it has not
been reported as stolen or illegal before they render their
technical services,” the directive said.

The IMEI is a 15-digit number that serves as an electronic
fingerprint transmitted every time a phone is used, which reveals
the identity of the mobile handset.

They are independent of phone numbers and are usually stamped
beneath the battery on the back of the handset.

The Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, has declared that
mobile subscribers in Nigeria must submit their International
Mobile Equipment Identity, IMEI, of their phones from July.

The NCC directive is contained in the revised national identity
policy for SIM card registration which was released on May 11.

According to the policy, the directive would be implemented
within three months.

The NCC said: “It is expected to curtail the counterfeit mobile
phone market, discourage mobile phone theft, enhance national
security, protect consumer interest, increase revenue generation
for the government, reduce rate of kidnapping, mitigate the use of
stolen phones for crime, and facilitate blocking or tracing of
stolen mobile phones and other smart devices.

“The agency plans to achieve this through the deployment of a
device management system (DMS) which will serve as a repository for
keeping records of all registered mobile phones’ IMEI and owners of
such devices.

“His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, has directed
that the device management system should be implemented within
three months.

“IMEIs that have been reported as either stolen or illegal will
be shared through the DMS to all the operators and service
providers.

“The purpose is to ensure that such devices do not work even if
different SIM cards are inserted in those devices.

“DMS will also provide access to all operators to cross-check
the IMEIs and their status before allowing a device to become
active on their network.

“Furthermore, registered mobile phone technicians will also be
provided with an interface to check IMEIs and ensure it has not
been reported as stolen or illegal before they render their
technical services,” the directive said.

The IMEI is a 15-digit number that serves as an electronic
fingerprint transmitted every time a phone is used, which reveals
the identity of the mobile handset.

They are independent of phone numbers and are usually stamped
beneath the battery on the back of the handset.