The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said that its Device Management System (DMS) – which is yet to be deployed – would automatically capture the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) of phones of subscribers.
This was disclosed in a statement signed by the commission’s Director of Public Affairs, Ikechukwu Adinde, on Friday.
The statement noted that the commission had no plans to request for the IMEI of the phones of Nigerians contrary to widespread assertions in the media.
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Nigerians were urged to disregard any such news that had “created the erroneous impression”.
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.
Signed:
Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde
Director, Public Affairs
May 21, 2021
