By Gloria Ikibah
The House of Representatives has called on the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to review its mobile device verification requirements over fears that the policy could increase phone prices and lead to the wrongful blocking of legitimate used devices. 
The lawmakers warned that additional compliance costs under the framework could increase expenses for phone importers and retailers, with consumers, particularly low-income Nigerians, likely to bear the burden through higher prices.
The resolution followed a motion sponsored by Rep. Sani Wakili, who urged the commission to review the implementation of its device verification framework in consultation with relevant stakeholders.
The framework, operated through the Device Management System and Central Equipment Identity Register, enables mobile phones and other SIM-enabled devices to be identified and verified using their International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers.
Lawmakers expressed concern that the enhanced verification requirements, which took effect on October 7, 2026, could increase the cost of importing and selling mobile devices.
They warned that passing these additional expenses on to consumers can make phones less affordable for Nigerians who rely on them for communication, education, banking and business.
The House also raised concerns about possible technical errors, database mismatches and limitations in scanning and verification systems, which could result in legitimate devices being wrongly rejected or blocked.
The lawmakers said the risks were particularly concerning for the second-hand phone market, which provides a cheaper alternative to new devices for millions of Nigerians.
While acknowledging the efforts of NCC to combat counterfeit, cloned and stolen phones, the House emphasised that the enforcement process should not unfairly penalise legitimate businesses or restrict access to affordable devices.
Consequently, the lawmakers urged the commission to review the implementation of the framework, simplify verification procedures and reduce compliance costs.
They also called for a fair and accessible verification process for used phones to prevent legitimate devices from being wrongly flagged or blocked.
To address the concerns, the House mandated its Committees on Communications and Commerce to engage the NCC and other relevant stakeholders on the implementation of the requirements.
The committees are expected to report back within four weeks for further legislative action, while the Committee on Legislative Compliance was directed to ensure that the resolution is implemented.
The proposed review comes amid growing reliance on mobile phones for digital banking, online learning, electronic commerce and other essential activities.
For many Nigerians, second-hand phones remain the most affordable option. Any verification system that wrongly blocks legitimate devices could therefore affect consumers and small-scale traders whose livelihoods depend on buying and reselling used handsets.
The House’s intervention seeks to ensure that efforts to strengthen device security do not inadvertently raise costs for consumers or create unnecessary barriers for legitimate businesses.
The outcome of the engagement is expected to help determine how the NCC can balance device security and regulatory compliance with consumer protection and affordability.
