With effect from July, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said mobile subscribers must submit the international mobile equipment identity (IMEI) of their phones.
The IMEI is an identity number used to uniquely identify a mobile phone. The 15-digit IMEI number is an electronic fingerprint transmitted every time a phone is used, which reveals the identity of the mobile handset.
They are independent of phone numbers and are usually stamped beneath the battery on the back of the handset.
According to the NCC, this directive is to be implemented within three months, as contained in the revised national identity policy for SIM card registration which was released on May 11, 2021.
It is expected to “curtail the counterfeit mobile phone market, discourage mobile phone theft, enhance national security, protect consumer interest, increase revenue generation for the government, reduce rate of kidnapping, mitigate the use of stolen phones for crime, and facilitate blocking or tracing of stolen mobile phones and other smart devices.”
The agency plans to achieve this through the deployment of a device management system (DMS) which will serve as a repository for keeping records of all registered mobile phones’ IMEI and owners of such devices.
The linking of phone numbers and other official documents to the National Identification Number (NIN) had generated controversy and is yet to be settled.
