Breaking: Telco subscribers NOT required to submit IMEI number- NCC

The Nigerian Communications Commission’s (NCC) has denied issuing a directive that Nigerians should submit the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number for each phone that they use.

According to the commission’s spokesperson, 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.

In a statement made available to Technext, Dr Adinde said 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.

“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”

Dr Ikechukwu Adinde, NCC spokesperson

“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 the same,” he said.

Recall that there was an outcry on social media earlier today following a report that the NCC had issued a directive for Nigerians to submit the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number of their mobile phones.

According to the report, the directive is contained in the national identity policy for SIM card registration that was released on May 11, 2021. The unique numbers will reportedly be stored in a device management system that will be deployed by the NCC within three months.

The announcement has generated outrage among many people based on their deep distrust of the Nigerian federal government and especially the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami.

This follows weeks of agitation over allegations that Mr Pantami was at the centre of widespread controversy just weeks ago in April when news circulated about his Salafi Jihadist opinions in support of al Qaeda, Boko Haram and other terrorist groups.