El-Donai Enema
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has launched a free platform that enables Nigerians to check whether their mobile phones are genuine or counterfeit.
The platform, known as the NCC Device Checker, was unveiled on Thursday, October 29, 2026, during briefings held at the Commission’s zonal offices in Lagos and Kano.
The Executive Vice-Chairman of the Commission, Dr Aminu Maida, said the platform was introduced to curb the circulation of counterfeit, cloned and unapproved mobile phones on Nigerian networks.
Maida explained that counterfeit devices could contribute to poor network quality, overheating and security risks.
Under the new system, consumers can retrieve their phones’ 15-digit International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers by dialling *#06#.
They can then verify the IMEI by dialling *315# or visiting the NCC’s Device Checker portal.
The NCC said more than 231 million devices connected to Nigerian networks before October 7, 2026, had already been automatically verified and would not require fresh checks.
However, the Commission advised buyers of second-hand and imported phones to verify their devices before making payment, warning that non-compliant phones could be denied access to Nigerian networks.
The Commission also clarified that the platform is not a surveillance tool and does not access users’ personal data, including messages, photographs, contacts, financial details or location information.
For enquiries and complaints, members of the public can contact the NCC through its toll-free lines, 315 and 622.
