If you don receive message wey warn say your phone go soon disconnect from your service provider, no panic. Most likely na from Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
The NCC don begin register SIM-enabled devices for Nigeria to make sure all devices wey enter di kontri meet Nigeria type-approval requirements.
Section 132 of di Nigerian Communications Act (NCA) 2003 explain Type Approval as NCC official clearance wey certify say one specific model of electronic or telecommunications equipment meet Nigeria standards before dem fit legally import, sell, or connect am to any public network.
Punch, Business Day and Guardian Newspapers reported dis development. According to Guardian, di announcement don cause panic after people receive di warning message.
Di commission however talk say dis one go help dem eliminate influx of counterfeit and cloned phones, restrict market for stolen devices and boost national security.
To achieve dis goal, NCC decide to build one central registry wey dem call Device Management System (DMS).
For phones wey already dey active use, di system automatically captures and logs your IMEI as soon as your device connect to your MTN, Airtel, Glo, or other networks.
IMEI be like personalised identity number, and each phone carry unique one.
But getting di warning no mean say your phone fake. E just mean say your phone enter Nigeria without being registered.
How you fit check your phone status? Whether you get di warning message or not, e important to do di check to dey on safe side.
To check, just dial *315# on your phone, and you go get prompt wey talk: ‘Welcome to Device Checker. Send: Follow di prompt by entering 1 to receive response. If you receive di response below, e mean say your phone verified. This device is NCC Type Approved and verified for use on Nigeria mobile networks.’
If you personally import your phone, e go most likely flag ‘unapproved’ status when you dial di verification code.
If di prompt talk say your phone no verified, e go begin 30-day countdown. During dis period, contact your seller if you recently buy di device from local retail outlet, or call NCC toll-free line at 622 for direct help.
Also, make sure you keep your phone receipt and screenshot of di warning code.
Di NCC introduce di USSD code *315# to enable mobile users verify regulatory approval status of their handsets. Phones wey fail di verification test risk being disconnected from networks after 30 cumulative days.
Di messages instruct recipients to contact their vendors or dial 315 for more guidance.
