• OEMs, importers fear policy will trigger phone price hikes

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has issued a firm reminder to manufacturers, importers, distributors, and retailers of SIM-enabled devices about their statutory obligations under the Nigerian Communications Act 2003, the Type Approval Regulations 2024, and the Type Approval Business Rules 2024.

According to the NCC, all stakeholders in the device supply chain must strictly adhere to Type Approval requirements before devices are imported, assembled, or sold in Nigeria. Section 132 of the Nigerian Communications Act and Regulation 4 of the Type Approval Regulations 2024 make it mandatory for every device model to secure NCC approval.

Beyond approval, the Commission has introduced a technology-enabled verification process to ensure that International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) details are properly submitted and validated before devices reach consumers.

The Commission, in a statement, signed by Director, Public Affairs, Nnenna Ukoha, on Monday, emphasised that distributors and retailers must also review existing stock to confirm compliance.

NCC said devices already in warehouses or on shelves must meet the required standards, and suppliers are expected to resolve any outstanding issues promptly. For new imports, the NCC insisted that compliance must be established before such devices are placed on the Nigerian market.

In line with its participatory regulatory approach, the Commission said it has engaged extensively with Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), Original Device Manufacturers (ODMs), importers, and industry associations. However, businesses that have not taken part in these engagements are urged to seek guidance immediately through NCC’s approved onboarding and support channels.

The regulator noted that the automated compliance process, developed in collaboration with the Nigeria Customs Service, will enhance oversight of devices entering the country. It will also reconcile import records, ensure payment of applicable duties, and promote fair competition by preventing non-compliant businesses from gaining undue advantage.

The NCC warned that, upon full implementation, devices that fail to meet the required standards may be barred from accessing Nigerian mobile networks. This enforcement framework is designed to protect consumers from substandard devices, strengthen national security, and maintain the integrity of Nigeria’s communications infrastructure.

Reaffirming its commitment, the Commission stated that it will continue to work closely with stakeholders to facilitate compliance, protect consumers, and promote a fair, competitive, and sustainable market for communications devices in Nigeria.

Expectedly, the phone verification policy has triggered opposition from phone traders, who fear that disputed fees could increase handset prices and make devices more expensive for Nigerians.

The Association of Mobile Phones and Allied Products Traders of Nigeria (AMPAT) is seeking a 90-day suspension of the charges.

It argued that the fees could raise phone costs, place additional pressure on small businesses, and threaten jobs across the mobile phone trade.

The dispute centred on the cost of implementing the verification system, the transparency of the charges and the NCC’s efforts to keep counterfeit and non-compliant devices out of the Nigerian market.

AMPAT first raised its objections at a press conference in Abuja on September 17. It renewed its opposition in Kano last week, where its representatives called on the commission to suspend the charges and clarify their legal basis.

Speaking in Kano on behalf of AMPAT’s National President, Sani Tasiu Ibrahim, the association’s Kano State chairman, Jamilu Bala Gama, said traders were being charged about N670 for smaller phones and nearly N4,000 for bigger devices.

He warned that the charges could have a disproportionate effect on low-cost handsets, which many Nigerians rely on for communication, mobile banking, education and business.

According to the association, a phone sold for N10,000 could attract a charge of nearly N4,000 before reaching the market. Traders fear that importers and distributors will pass the additional cost to buyers rather than absorb it.

AMPAT President Musa Haruna Mamza had expressed a similar concern at the Abuja briefing, arguing that manufacturers and distributors were unlikely to bear the cost themselves.

“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,” Mamza said.

The NCC has defended the verification framework on consumer protection and network quality grounds. It argues that checking devices can help buyers avoid counterfeit or substandard products that may not deliver the value they expect.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja last week, the commission’s Director of Technical Standards and Network Integrity, Edoyemi Ogoh, said consumers should consider the actual value of a device rather than its advertised price alone.

“If a subscriber knows that he’s buying a phone for N70,000, and it’s actually a N70,000 phone, I think that subscriber will be happier than basically buying a N70,000 phone, only to find out that that phone is actually a phone that is worth maybe N30,000,” Ogoh said.

The explanation reflects the commission’s position that verification could help protect consumers from paying genuine-phone prices for inferior devices.

However, the benefits of buying a compliant handset do not directly address AMPAT’s concern that the disputed charges could increase the cost of bringing phones into the country.

The two sides are therefore focusing on different aspects of the policy. While the NCC emphasises device authenticity, consumer protection and service quality, traders are questioning the cost and terms under which they must comply.

AMPAT said it supports the registration of mobile phones and efforts to eliminate counterfeit and stolen devices. Its objection, Gama said, is to the financial burden and to the policy’s implementation.

“We support the registration of phones. We want fake phones out of this country. We want stolen phones to become useless. We want criminals to have nowhere to hide,” he said.

Gama also questioned the transparency of the charges. He asked the NCC to disclose the legal provisions authorising the fees, publish an official fee schedule and identify the private company alleged by the association to be receiving the payments.