NCC Deploys Device Checker App to Tackle Fake, Cloned Phones in Nigeria

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has deployed a new device-checking application to strengthen efforts to eliminate counterfeit, cloned and unauthorised mobile phones from Nigeria’s telecommunications market.

The application, designed to help authorised industry stakeholders verify mobile devices, allows users to scan International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers and upload device information directly to the commission’s Device Checker Platform.

The NCC Lagos Zonal Controller, Tunji Jimoh, disclosed this on Thursday during a media briefing at the commission’s zonal office in Lagos.

Jimoh, who represented the Executive Vice-Chairman of the NCC, Aminu Maida, said the initiative was part of efforts to ensure that devices connected to Nigerian telecommunications networks comply with established technical and regulatory standards.

According to him, the platform supports the verification of the Type Approval status of SIM-enabled devices and will help address the circulation of counterfeit, cloned and unauthorised equipment in the country.

Jimoh explained that the application would make it easier for authorised stakeholders, including importers, distributors and phone dealers, to verify large volumes of devices and identify irregularities in their identification numbers.

He said the commission had also intensified engagements with industry players to improve compliance with its device verification and licensing requirements.

The NCC official disclosed that the commission had streamlined its licensing and regularisation process, enabling several device dealers in Kano State to obtain the necessary licences.

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He added that the commission had conducted sensitisation programmes for importers and other industry participants in Lagos and other parts of the country to educate them on their responsibilities under the Device Checker framework.

Jimoh said the measures were designed to strengthen accountability across the mobile device supply chain, improve regulatory compliance and protect consumers from substandard products.

Addressing concerns about privacy, the NCC representative stressed that the Device Checker Platform was not designed to monitor mobile phone users or access their personal information.

He explained that the system does not access private messages, photographs, contacts, financial information or other personal content stored on mobile devices.

According to him, the platform’s functions are limited to device identification and verification of compliance with regulatory requirements.

The commission also urged manufacturers, importers, distributors and dealers to familiarise themselves with its Type Approval and Device Verification guidelines.

Meanwhile, the NCC has encouraged consumers to check the approval status of mobile phones before purchasing them, particularly second-hand devices, to avoid buying counterfeit or non-compliant products.

Consumers can access the commission’s *Device Checker service by dialling 315# or visiting its official website at https://www.ncc.gov.ng/DeviceChecker.

To verify a device, users may need its 15-digit IMEI number, which can be retrieved by dialling *#06# on the phone.

The commission explained that the IMEI is a unique identification number assigned to mobile devices and helps distinguish one device from another. Some phones, particularly dual-SIM models, have more than one IMEI.

The NCC has also clarified that the enhanced device verification framework, which took effect on October 7, 2026, does not require existing phone users to register their devices again. Devices already connected to Nigerian networks before the implementation date were automatically verified.

New devices brought into Nigeria by importers, however, must undergo the applicable verification process before accessing local telecommunications networks.

The commission said the framework covers SIM-enabled devices, including smartphones, feature phones, tablets, routers, laptops and Point-of-Sale terminals.

It further advised consumers to patronise reputable and licensed dealers and use only official NCC channels for device verification.

The initiative forms part of the commission’s broader efforts to combat phone theft, device cloning, counterfeiting and the circulation of unauthorised telecommunications equipment in Nigeria.

NCC Deploys Device Checker App to Tackle Fake, Cloned Phones in Nigeria