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The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has refuted several reports that it will be requiring telecom subscribers to submit the International mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) of their phones beginning July 2021.
The IMEI is a unique 15-digit serial number that uniquely identifies a GSM or UMTS mobile phone. It consists of four parts and provides information, such as the manufacturer, to the mobile network. It is usually printed on the device under the battery. IMEI can be used to “ban” a stolen phone, making it hard to use by the thief with a new SIM card.
Reports claimed President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the telecom regulator to compile IMEIs of all registered mobile phones beginning July as part of government measures to further strengthen national security and track down stolen phones.
The reports were obviously triggered by government’s approval for the Revised National Policy for SIM Card Registration released last week, May 11.
Part of the newly approved policy states: “implementation of a Centralized Equipment Identity and Register (CEIR), otherwise known as Device Management System (DMS) will serve as a repository for keeping records of all registered mobile phones’ International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) and owners of such devices.”
But the NCC has denied the reports in an official statement by Director, Public Affairs, Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde.
“At no time did the commission issue a Statement regarding the registration of IMEI by subscribers and it has no plans to do so,” Adinde stressed in the statement.
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Read the full statement below.
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.
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.
The general public is advised to disregard the said publications, which have created the erroneous impression that telephone subscribers will be required to register their IMEI with their networks.
