Get Guardian on GoogleA telecommunications expert, Festus Kure, has warned that the Nigerian Communications Commission’s (NCC) Device Management System (DMS) could trigger higher mobile phone prices if the financial burden of registering imported devices is transferred to consumers.
Kure, who raised concerns in a statement over the transparency and implementation of the initiative, said the Commission needed to provide clearer information about the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement, registration charges and consultations with stakeholders in the mobile phone market.
He said although the system was introduced to tackle stolen, cloned and counterfeit mobile devices, its implementation had raised questions about procurement transparency, accountability and the potential financial implications for businesses and consumers.
The DMS operates as a Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR), designed to enable mobile network operators to identify and manage devices through their International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers.
Kure said the reported charges under the framework could increase the cost of importing mobile phones, particularly if manufacturers and distributors declined to absorb the additional expenses.
Reports put the charges at about N670 per IMEI for feature phones and more than N3,700 for high-end devices.
He expressed concern that importers and dealers could transfer the costs to buyers, further worsening the affordability of mobile phones in the country.
According to him, the policy requires commercial importers to submit device IMEIs and invoices through the DMS, pay applicable charges and obtain pre-authorisation before Customs clearance.
The expert also questioned the level of transparency surrounding the PPP arrangement, particularly the identity of the successful private partner, the final contractual terms and the commercial framework governing the project.
He noted that the NCC’s Project Information Memorandum, dated April 2022, identified Weircapacity Consortium as the transaction adviser and stated that the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) certified the project for procurement as a PPP through competitive bidding.
The NCC subsequently issued a Request for Qualification in May 2022, with submissions due on June 3, 2022.
“The absence of independently verified information does not, by itself, establish that procurement rules were breached.
“Nevertheless, the questions surrounding the final award, contractual terms and commercial framework deserve clear answers from the relevant authorities,” he said.
Kure said Nigerians deserved greater clarity on the outcome of the procurement process, the responsibilities of the private partner and the revenue arrangements underpinning a project that affects millions of mobile phone users.
He raised concerns about stakeholder engagement, saying phone importers, dealers, technicians and other affected businesses needed adequate information and sufficient time to understand the requirements before enforcement.
The Association of Mobile Phones and Allied Products Traders of Nigeria had similarly complained about inadequate sensitisation, with its president, Musa Haruna Mamza, saying manufacturers had declined to absorb the additional costs.
The association called for a three-to-six-month sensitisation period and appealed to the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, to intervene.
Kure identified implementation challenges involving existing stock, shipments that left their countries of origin before the new requirements took effect and devices mistakenly flagged as non-compliant.
He said the Commission needed to establish a transparent appeal mechanism to protect owners of legitimate devices wrongly identified by the system.
The reported extension of the deadline for registering existing stock to October 6, 2026, also generated complaints from importers who considered the period insufficient.
The expert called for clearer guidelines on technician training, certification requirements and the procedures for resolving technical problems associated with device registration.
He said the reliability of the platform would be critical to the success of the initiative, warning that difficulties with uploading device information, processing payments and obtaining pre-authorisation could disrupt importation and increase business costs.
Kure’s concerns come amid reports of consumers receiving warnings that their mobile devices could be disconnected from Nigerian networks if they remained unverified.
It was reported that users of several phone brands, including iPhone, Infinix, Tecno, Oukitel and Google Pixel, had received text alerts warning of possible disconnection after 30 cumulative days.
But an NCC official said the exercise was not directed at particular brands or models but concerned devices without the required type approval.
The Commission has also introduced the USSD code *315# for consumers to check their device verification status.
Kure maintained that while the objective of protecting telecommunications networks against stolen and counterfeit devices was important, the Commission needed to ensure that the policy did not impose avoidable costs on businesses and consumers.
He urged the NCC to provide greater transparency on the PPP arrangement, explain the basis for the registration charges and strengthen engagement with stakeholders to address concerns surrounding the implementation of the system.
