The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) now wants every phone sold in Nigeria checked twice: once for the model, and once for the individual handset. Under its NCC type approval rules, sellers must submit each device’s IMEI, the 15-digit serial number every phone carries, for verification before they sell it. Phones that fail may later be blocked from Nigerian mobile networks.
The short version
The NCC has told phone makers, importers and shops that every model needs type approval and every handset needs its IMEI verified before sale. Buyers can do three quick checks before paying.
- Every phone model imported, assembled or sold in Nigeria must have NCC type approval.
- Sellers must submit each phone’s IMEI through the NCC’s compliance process before selling it, including phones already in stock.
- The NCC says devices that fail the checks may be restricted from Nigerian mobile networks once the system is fully in place.
- Before you pay, dial *#06# on the phone to see its IMEI and check the model on the NCC’s list of approved handsets.
- The NCC has not published a date for when blocking starts, and the notice gives no deadline for shops.
What the NCC type approval notice says
In a notice to manufacturers, importers, distributors and dealers, the NCC set out four rules for any device that takes a SIM card:
- Type approval: every model brought in, assembled, distributed or sold must be approved by the NCC.
- Device verification: makers, importers and other suppliers must submit the IMEI of each device for verification before sale and distribution.
- Existing stock: distributors, dealers and retailers must confirm that phones already on their shelves meet both rules, working with their suppliers.
- New imports: devices must comply before they are placed on the market.
The NCC says the checks will run with the Nigeria Customs Service, which will use them to match import records and duties. Its warning is plain: once the system is fully in place, devices that fail “may be restricted from accessing Nigerian mobile telecommunications networks.”
The rules cover more than phones. The notice applies to any device that takes a SIM card.
What changes for phone buyers
In plain terms: the risk moves to the shop counter. A cheap phone that skipped the checks might work today and lose network access later, and the notice puts the job of checking on the seller, not on you. But it is your money if the phone stops working, so do three checks before you pay:
- Get the IMEI. Dial *#06# on the phone. The NCC’s own guide uses this code. A dual-SIM phone shows two numbers.
- Check the model. Look the model up on the NCC’s list of approved handsets on ncc.gov.ng, under type approval. If the model is not there, ask the seller why before you hand over cash.
- Ask the seller one question. “Has this phone’s IMEI been verified with the NCC?” A shop that registers its stock will know what you mean.
Our step-by-step guide on how to check if a phone is NCC approved walks through the *315# check and what each result means. If you already got a warning, read what to do when your phone is not verified.
What changes for shops and importers
Dealers now carry the paperwork. The NCC’s guide for businesses sends sellers to the verifymydevice.gov.ng portal to register and upload IMEIs, and that includes phones already sitting in the shop. For small sellers who buy stock from several suppliers, that means asking each supplier for proof of type approval and a clean IMEI record before the next order.
The downside: the notice gives no start date for blocking and no deadline for clearing old stock. Until the NCC names one, buyers and sellers are working to a rule without a calendar. The NCC says businesses with questions can call 315.
Buying a used phone? The same checks apply, plus the ones in our guide on how to check if a phone is original before you buy it.
