Buying a used phone, or wondering whether the one in your hand will keep working? You can check if a phone is NCC approved in under a minute by dialling *315#, even if it is still sealed in its box. The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) started checking every SIM-enabled device on Nigerian networks on Oct. 7, 2026, and a phone that fails the check can be refused service. Here is how to run the check, what each result means and what to do before you pay for a phone.
The short version
Dial *315# from any phone with a Nigerian SIM. Send 1 to check that phone, or 2 to check another phone by its IMEI. A phone that is safe to use shows as NCC Type Approved and verified for use on Nigerian mobile networks.
- Phones that were on a Nigerian network before Oct. 7, 2026 have been verified automatically, the NCC says, so most people need to do nothing.
- To check a phone before you buy it, send 2 and enter its 15-digit IMEI. On a sealed phone, it is printed on the box.
- A phone that fails the check is not automatically fake, but do not pay for it until the seller sorts it out.
- A phone brought from abroad and never used in Nigeria can run on a Nigerian SIM for up to 30 days in a year before it must be verified.
- Use only *315#, the NCC’s own pages or the toll-free 315 line, and never share a one-time code with anyone.
How to check if your phone is NCC approved with *315#
- Dial *315# from any phone with a Nigerian SIM in it. A Device Checker menu pops up with two choices: “1. Check this device” and “2. Check another device.”
- Send 1 to check the phone you are dialling from. The answer comes back in a few seconds.
- Send 2 to check a different phone, such as one you are about to buy. You will be asked for its IMEI, the 15-digit serial number every phone has. On a new phone still in its box, the IMEI is printed on the label on the box, so you can check it without opening anything. On a phone that is switched on, dial *#06# to see it, or look in its settings. Some phones have two IMEIs, one for each SIM slot.
- Read the result. A phone that passes shows: “This device is NCC Type Approved and verified for use on Nigerian mobile networks.”
We ran the check on a phone on a Nigerian network on Oct. 15, 2026, and the whole thing took under a minute. If you get stuck, call the toll-free number 315.
The NCC also lists a Device Checker web page at www.ncc.gov.ng/DeviceChecker. It loads the checker from a separate site, and it did not open reliably for us on Oct. 15, 2026, so *315# is the quicker route for now.
What your NCC phone check result means
- NCC Type Approved and verified: the phone model meets the NCC’s standards and this particular phone is cleared to use Nigerian networks. You are done.
- Not yet verified: this is not proof the phone is fake. The NCC says a phone that cannot be verified “is not automatically confirmed to be counterfeit.” If you already own it, contact the seller or your network. If you are about to buy it, do not pay until the seller fixes it.
- Asked to verify a previous number: this applies to used phones, not new ones. On a second-hand phone, the checker may ask you to confirm a number used on it before, with a one-time code. Enter that code only inside the *315# flow and never give it to a caller or seller.
- Not compliant: phones confirmed to break the rules, such as counterfeit phones, will be refused access to Nigerian networks.
Checking a phone before you pay
What changes for you: the check takes a minute, and it is now the cheapest protection you have when buying a phone, new or second-hand. The NCC is blunt about it: do not assume a phone is fine just because it has been used on a Nigerian network before.
- Buying new and sealed? Dial *315# on your own phone, send 2 and type in the IMEI from the box label. You do not need to open the box.
- Buying used? Ask the seller to dial *315# on the phone in front of you, or dial *#06# on it and check that IMEI from your own phone.
- Once the phone is switched on, make sure the IMEI from *#06# matches the one on the box and receipt.
- If the result is anything other than a pass, do not pay until the seller resolves it.
- Remember what a pass does not tell you. The NCC says it is not a full check of the phone’s condition, repair history or parts, so still run the checks in our guide on how to check if a phone is original.
Bought your phone abroad?
It depends on how you use it. If you are visiting and using a foreign SIM on roaming, the NCC says your phone is not affected. If the phone has been used in Nigeria with a Nigerian SIM before, it is already verified.
A phone that has never been used in Nigeria can run on a Nigerian SIM for up to 30 cumulative days within a year, meaning 30 days of actual use, before it has to be verified. For a phone you bought abroad for your own use, the NCC says only the person who bought it can verify it, using details of their travel. Call 315 for the step-by-step guide. The NCC’s Device Checker FAQ does not mention a fee.
Do you need to do anything if your phone already works?
Usually not. The NCC says phones connected to a Nigerian network before Oct. 7, 2026, phones bought in Nigeria, new or used, and phones passed on by family or friends need no action. The exception is a phone whose IMEI was changed during a repair. The NCC says a phone must keep its original IMEI, so if a repair shop changed yours, contact the manufacturer or your network.
Watch out for fake phone checkers
Any new government check brings scammers offering to “verify” or “unblock” phones for a fee. Use only *315#, the NCC’s own pages and the 315 line. The NCC says its staff will never need your one-time code, so anyone who asks for it is not the NCC. Our guide to spotting online scams covers the other tricks.
Can the NCC see what is on your phone?
No, according to the NCC. It says the Device Checker uses your phone’s IMEI and may link it to your number, but it cannot read your messages, listen to calls, see your photos or track your location.
Got a text saying your phone is not verified? Our guide to the NCC phone not verified text explains what it means and what to do next.
