The nation’s telecommunications regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has debunked reports that, going by the revised National Identity Policy for SIM Card Registration, the Commission will require Nigerians to submit the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) of their phones to it from July, 2021.
A statement from the NCC, signed by the Director of Public Relations, Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde categorically stated that: “The attention of the Nigerian Communications Commission has been drawn to several media publications to the effect that the Commission will require Nigerians to submit the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) of their phones to it from July, 2021.
At no time did the Commission issue a Statement regarding the registration of IMEI by subscribers and it has no plans to do so.”
He explained that the reports in question have emanated from a section of the Revised National Identity Policy for SIM Card Registration recently launched by President Muhammadu Buhari, and which has been uploaded on the Commission’s website.
“It is pertinent to state that the Commission is in the process of deploying a Device Management System (DMS). The DMS will essentially protect subscribers against phone theft and will identify and enable the elimination of fake devices from the networks. The system will capture IMEI automatically without any requirement for subscribers to submit same,” Dr. Adinde clarified.
He advised the general public to disregard the said publications, which have created the erroneous impression that telephone subscribers will be required to register their IMEI with their networks.
It will be recalled that the Commission was recently in the news because of reports that based on directive that the Device Management System (DMS) should be implemented within three months by the President, subscribers will be required to submit their IMEI numbers to the Commission.
The aim of using the IMEI is to curtail the counterfeit mobile phone market, discourage mobile phone theft, enhance National Security, protect consumer interest, increase revenue generation for the government, reduce the rate of kidnapping, mitigate the use of stolen phones for crime, and facilitate blocking or tracing of stolen mobile phones and other smart devices.
“IMEIs that have been reported as either stolen or illegal will be shared through the DMS to all the operators and service providers.”
The IMEI number is the mobile phone’s fingerprint. It is a 15-digit number unique to each phone. With the IMEI number, a phone can be tracked and located irrespective of the cellular number in it.