Following the backlash from angry phone users over reports that they will be mandated to submit their International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) of their phones to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the latter has described the news as false.
NCC’s Director of Public Affairs, Ikechukwu Adinde, in a statement stated that at no time did the Commission issue a statement regarding the registration of IMEI by subscribers, adding that 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,” the statement read.
“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 the same.”
He advised the general public to disregard the publications which have created the impression that telephone subscribers will be required to register their IMEI with their networks.
