…Demand 6-months awareness creation

The Association of Mobile Phones and Allied Products Traders of Nigeria have rejected plans by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to impose registration fees on newly imported mobile devices through its Device Management System (DMS).

The traders said they were not opposed to the DMS, which is designed to establish a register of mobile devices operating on Nigerian telecommunications networks, but objected to the proposed payment requirement for newly imported devices.

The President of the association Musa Haruna Mamza, said the proposed charges would ultimately be passed on to consumers because original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), distributors and dealers would have to factor the cost into the prices of devices.

Mamza said the association was particularly concerned that Nigerians could end up paying additional costs for the registration of devices, arguing that the burden should not be transferred to consumers.

“The companies that produce the devices refuse to say they will bear the cost, and so the OEMs, dealers or distributors will be at the cost of paying that fee. Then they will transfer it to the end user,” he said.

According to him, the association supports the registration of mobile devices but wants the NCC to reconsider the payment component and engage stakeholders more extensively before implementation.

Mamza also faulted the level of awareness created among mobile phone traders ahead of the proposed implementation, saying many businesses had not been adequately sensitised or trained on the new system.

He called for a comprehensive awareness campaign and training programme to enable traders to understand the requirements and procedures for registering devices.

“We are not against the policy. We are against some of the aspects which are detrimental to the industry. This is our concern,” he said.

The association expressed concern over the initial timeframe for the exercise, arguing that the period was insufficient to reach the large number of traders involved in Nigeria’s mobile phone market.

Mamza said the mobile device trade involved a substantial number of businesses across the country, making it difficult to effectively sensitise traders within a short implementation window.

He therefore urged the NCC to allow between three and six months for sensitisation before fully implementing the controversial aspects of the policy.

He said such a period would enable the commission and industry stakeholders to properly educate traders on the DMS and address concerns surrounding the proposed fees.

Mamza said the association had also written to the relevant authorities to draw attention to its concerns, stressing that the objective was to ensure the policy was implemented in a manner that would not unnecessarily hurt businesses or consumers.

He further appealed to the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy to intervene by ensuring that the concerns of mobile phone traders were considered in the implementation process.

“If the minister of communication is not aware, let him be aware and let him call the NCC to order. Let him do the right thing,” he said.

Mamza warned that a poorly coordinated implementation could have implications for employment across the mobile phone distribution and retail chain, particularly if additional costs reduce demand or place pressure on traders’ businesses.

He maintained that the association’s position should not be interpreted as opposition to government efforts to regulate mobile devices, but as a call for wider consultation and a review of aspects that could impose additional costs on the industry and consumers.

The association is consequently seeking further engagement with the NCC and other relevant authorities before the payment component of the DMS is enforced.