Phone users in Nigeria are in a state of fear and confusion following a notice they got at the weekend of the possible blockade of their mobile phones after 30 cumulative days.

The notice, which flooded some users’ mobile phones, came from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). It formed part of the commission’s planned Device Management System (DMS), designed to identify and eventually restrict devices that do not meet Nigeria’s type-approval requirements.

For emphasis, type-approval for mobile phones in Nigeria is a mandatory certification process managed by the NCC under Section 132(2) of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003. It helps to ensure mobile devices function properly on local mobile networks without causing dropped calls, poor service or signal interference. It also helps protect users from counterfeit or substandard handsets that may pose health and safety risks, such as high electromagnetic radiation exceeding International Commission on Non-Ionising Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) limits.

The blockade exercise, according to NCC, is not targeted at any particular brand or model, but part of a broader effort to ensure that devices operating on Nigerian networks have been properly approved.

Confirming the development yesterday, a senior NCC official said the enforcement “is necessary” because some devices being brought into Nigeria had not gone through the required type-approval process.

“People who are buying or bringing non-type-approved devices into the country” are affected, the official said, explaining that devices imported for use on Nigerian networks are expected to receive NCC approval.

According to the official, some unapproved devices entered the country through unofficial channels, necessitating the commission’s establishment of a system to identify them.

The planned DMS will, therefore, move the regulator beyond monitoring subscriber identity through Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) registration to examining the devices connecting to Nigerian networks.

Early warning notices have already reached users of diverse brands, including iPhones Google Pixels to Tecno, Infinix, Oukitel, and other models, which showed that the enforcement is broad rather than brand-specific.

One consumer reported that an Oukitel WP58 Pro 5G bought on a popular e-commerce platform was flagged, while another said their iPhone 17 Pro purchased in the United Kingdom (UK) was quickly identified as non-compliant upon arrival in Nigeria.

Findings showed that the alerts typically inform users that their device has not been verified and caution that disconnection may occur after 30 cumulative days.

NCC has directed affected recipients to dial 315 or contact their seller. This has raised concerns among consumers who invested heavily in smartphones, especially since some of the flagged devices were purchased through local Nigerian retailers.

The Guardian checks showed that the NCC, as of August 2025, authorised 2,397 mobile phone models for use in Nigeria, following the approval of 52 new models in the month.

Indeed, the new directive could reshape Nigeria’s smartphone economy. For years, many Nigerians have relied on grey-market imports, phones brought in from Europe, the United States (U.S.) and Asia to access models unavailable or more expensive in official channels. Google, for example, does not sell Pixel phones directly in Nigeria, so most units in circulation arrive through independent importers. Now, even locally purchased phones may face scrutiny, putting pressure on retailers to ensure compliance with NCC standards.

The Guardian gathered that consumers will not be left stranded. A registration pathway is being designed for legitimate owners of imported devices, allowing them to regularise their phones.

Details of this process, including online links and requirements, are expected to be published soon. According to the NCC official, the alerts are warnings, not immediate shutdowns, and the commission will provide clarity through upcoming media briefings in Lagos and Abuja.