The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is moving to automate enforcement of its Type Approval requirements for communications devices through a technology-driven compliance framework for SIM-enabled equipment in Nigeria.

The initiative will be powered by the Device Management System (DMS), which is expected to provide the technological infrastructure needed to automate Type Approval compliance and strengthen regulatory oversight of the country’s communications device ecosystem.

The regulatory requirement is backed by Section 132(2) of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003. The provision requires licensed service and facilities providers, equipment manufacturers and suppliers to secure Type Approval from the NCC before communications equipment can be sold or used in Nigeria.

According to the Commission, the DMS will strengthen adherence to technical and regulatory standards while supporting network performance and helping authorities detect devices that do not meet approved requirements. The system is also expected to improve consumer confidence in communications equipment sold and operated in Nigeria.

The NCC has already begun the first phase of deploying the automated compliance framework. The Commission is working with key stakeholders, including the Nigeria Customs Service, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), importers and relevant market associations.

The initial implementation is focused on bringing devices currently held in stock onto the system. At the same time, communications devices imported into Nigeria in the future will be required to undergo proper registration and authentication.

The arrangement is expected to improve the regulator’s ability to detect non-compliant and illegally imported devices before they become widely used.

Edoyemi Ogoh, Director of Technical Standards and Network Integrity at the NCC, said the Commission’s Type Approval Business Rules, issued in August 2024, provided the regulatory basis for establishing a Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR).

The CEIR is designed to contain the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers of SIM-enabled communications devices in Nigeria.

Ogoh explained that the NCC subsequently conducted stakeholder engagements and market studies, with the findings helping to shape the design and deployment of the automated compliance system.

Under the framework, SIM-enabled communications devices entering Nigeria must be registered before they can be sold. Equipment that has not been properly registered will also be barred from operating on Nigerian mobile networks.

Beyond Type Approval enforcement, the system is intended to address broader challenges affecting the communications device market.

The NCC said the framework will make it easier to identify illegally imported and non-compliant devices. It will also allow stolen devices reported to the relevant authorities to be blocked from operating across Nigerian mobile networks.

The Commission further clarified the scope of the platform, stressing that it is designed specifically for device identification and Type Approval compliance.

According to Ogoh, the system will retain device identification details, including IMEI numbers, but will not provide the NCC with access to users’ device contents or allow the regulator to monitor personal communications.

Source: techafricanews