The Nigerian Communications Commission has told Nigerians it will deploy a Device Management System to capture the International Mobile Equipment Identity of all mobile phone users.
The explanation was contained in a statement on Friday by its Director of Public Affairs, Ikechukwu Adinde, titled ‘Subscribers not required to submit International Mobile Equipment Identity number.’
Adinde explanation followed the wild uproar that greeted the Commission’s alleged plan to register IMEIs starting from July, as part of its Revised National Identity Policy for SIM Card Registration.
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The NCC further revealed that the DMS to be deployed will essentially protect subscribers against phone theft and will identify and enable the elimination of fake devices from the networks.
The statement read, “The attention of the Nigerian Communications Commission has been drawn to several media publications to the effect that the Commission will require Nigerians to submit the International Mobile Equipment Identity of their phones to it from July, 2021.
“At no time did the commission issue a statement regarding the registration of IMEI by subscribers and it has no plans to do so.
“The reports in question have emanated from a section of the Revised National Identity Policy for SIM Card Registration recently launched by President Muhammadu Buhari and which has been uploaded on the Commission’s website.
“It is pertinent to state that the Commission is in the process of deploying a Device Management System. The DMS will essentially protect subscribers against phone theft and will identify and enable the elimination of fake devices from the networks. The system will capture IMEI automatically without any requirement for subscribers to submit same.”
