IMEI: Nigerians To Provide Phone Identities To FG In July

It has been announced by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) that citizens and residents would soon be required to submit the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) of their phones in July 2021.

Per a Pulse report, the information is contained in the commission's revised National Identity Policy for SIM card registration and reportedly has the backing of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Below are excerpts from the policy:

"Accordingly, His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, has directed that the Device Management System should be implemented within three months.

“With the aim to curtail the counterfeit mobile phone market, discourage mobile phone theft, enhance national security, protect consumer interest, increase revenue generation for the government, reduce the rate of kidnapping, mitigate the use of stolen phones for crime, and facilitate blocking or tracing of stolen mobile phones and other smart devices, one of the means to achieve this is through the deployment of Device Management System.

“The implementation of a Centralised Equipment Identity Register otherwise known as Device Management System will serve as a repository for keeping records of all registered mobile phones’ International Mobile Equipment Identity and owners of such devices.

“IMEIs that have been reported as either stolen or illegal will be shared through the DMS to all the operators and service providers.”