The Nigerian Communications Commission has denied rumours making the round on social media that it requested telecommunications subscribers in the country to submit their mobile phones' International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI). Rather, the telecoms regulator said a Device Management System (DMS) to be deployed soon would automatically capture all IMEI in the country, which would be used for the prevention of phone theft and counterfeiting.
The Commission in a statement signed by its Director of Public Affairs, Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde, said: "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 (IMEI) 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 (DMS). 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. The general public is advised to disregard the said publications, which have created the erroneous impression that telephone subscribers will be required to register their IMEI with their networks," the regulator added.
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