The Nigerian Communications Commission has introduced the NG-IMEI Scanner application to streamline device registration for dealers, detect duplicate International Mobile Equipment Identity numbers and minimise errors during device verification.
Launched as part of the Commission’s Device Checker Platform, the application allows dealers handling large volumes of devices to scan device details, arrange IMEI numbers in tabular format and flag duplicate entries.
The initiative is aimed at strengthening efforts to tackle counterfeit and non-compliant communication devices in Nigeria.
The Director and Zonal Controller of the NCC Lagos Zonal Office, Mr Tunji Jimoh, disclosed this on Thursday during a press conference on the Device Checker Platform and type approval procedures at the Commission’s Lagos office in Ikoyi.
He said the application was developed to streamline registration, particularly for dealers and distributors handling multiple devices, while strengthening the Commission’s enforcement of type approval requirements.
Jimoh explained that the application allows dealers to scan device details and compile IMEI numbers in an organised format, minimising errors associated with manual data entry and making it easier to detect duplicate records.
The application is part of the NCC’s wider Device Checker Platform, which enables consumers, importers, dealers and other stakeholders to verify communication devices against the Commission’s regulatory database.
He added that the platform is integrated with the NCC’s type approval system and can flag devices that have not obtained the necessary regulatory approval, allowing the Commission to take appropriate enforcement action.
He noted that the platform covers a wide range of communication devices beyond smartphones, including routers and Internet of Things (IoT) devices connected to telecommunications networks.
The Commission currently has more than 2,900 type-approved devices listed on its website, with the register regularly updated to include newly approved equipment.
The deployment is part of the NCC’s broader efforts to ensure that communication devices imported into or manufactured for the Nigerian market comply with established technical and regulatory standards.
Jimoh explained that manufacturers are required to submit product samples, alongside relevant laboratory test reports and certifications, for evaluation before commencing mass production or introducing their products into the Nigerian market.
He said the Commission assesses the samples to establish whether they meet applicable Nigerian technical standards.
Products that pass the evaluation are issued type approval certificates, confirming that the specific make and model comply with the prescribed requirements.
