The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has begun an enhanced verification exercise for phones, tablets and other SIM-enabled devices used on Nigerian mobile networks. The aim, according to the regulator, is to keep fake, cloned, substandard and stolen devices off the networks and to make sure equipment sold in Nigeria meets technical standards.

The exercise was explained at a media briefing in Abuja on 13 October 2026, a few days after some subscribers started receiving SMS alerts from a sender called “NCC-Checker” saying their device was not verified. If you or your staff received one of these messages, here is what it means and what to do.

What the NCC is doing

The checks run under what the NCC calls its enhanced Type Approval compliance framework, which builds on the Type Approval Business Rules it issued in August 2024. Type Approval is the NCC’s confirmation that a particular device model meets Nigerian technical requirements.

Each phone has a unique 15-digit identifier called an IMEI. According to TechAfrica News, the NCC’s Device Management System checks a device’s IMEI against a central equipment register to see whether the model is type approved. The NCC has worked with the Nigeria Customs Service, manufacturers, importers and market associations so that devices already in stock can be onboarded and future imports can be verified before they reach shops.

At the briefing, the NCC’s Director of Technical Standards and Network Integrity said about 231 million existing devices had been registered automatically and that subscribers whose devices were already on the networks did not need to take any action, Nairametrics reported. He also stressed that the system is not a surveillance tool: the NCC says it keeps device identification data such as IMEI numbers, but does not access the contents of users’ phones or their personal communications.

What the “not verified” alerts say

From 10 October 2026, some users of iPhones, Google Pixels, Tecno, Infinix and other brands reported receiving alerts saying their device was not verified and could lose network access after 30 days. TechAfrica News explains that the countdown counts only days when the device is actively used on a Nigerian network, not 30 calendar days in a row.

Many of the devices being flagged appear to be imported or grey-market phones, meaning genuine models bought abroad or from sellers who never submitted them for Nigerian approval. Commentators have pointed out that the system does not yet publicly separate these legitimate imports from counterfeit or cloned phones, and that the steps for registering a phone bought overseas have not been clearly published. Unofficial figures for registration fees are circulating on social media, but they have not been confirmed by the NCC, so do not rely on them.

How to check your device

1. Find your IMEI. Dial *#06# on the phone. The IMEI appears on screen. Note it down or take a screenshot.
2. Run the NCC check. Dial *315# from the phone and choose the device check option. Nairametrics also mentions an NCC Device Checker portal.
3. Read the result. A verified device returns a confirmation that it is type approved and verified for use on Nigerian networks.
4. Keep evidence. If you get a warning, screenshot it along with your receipt or proof of purchase.

If your phone is flagged

• Bought locally? Go back to the seller. The NCC advises asking for a replacement if a device you bought turns out not to be verified.
• Bought abroad? The NCC has indicated that a registration route exists for devices bought overseas. Watch the NCC’s official website and social media channels for published instructions and fees.
• Still unresolved? Call the NCC’s toll-free 315 consumer helpline.

Watch out for scammers using this news

Any change that worries large numbers of people is an opportunity for fraudsters. Expect fake “phone unblocking” agents, look-alike messages and social media posts offering to verify your phone for a fee. The NCC’s check is done by dialling *315# from your own phone; you should not need to send money or your personal details to anyone who contacts you first.

What businesses should do

For companies that issue phones to staff or run POS terminals and other SIM-enabled devices, a lost connection can stop sales or field work. Treat this as a small asset audit:

• List every SIM-enabled device your business owns, with its IMEI and where it was bought.
• Run the *315# check on each one and record the result.
• Raise any flagged devices with the supplier now, while the 30-day window is still open.
• Before buying new devices, ask the seller to confirm in writing that the model has NCC Type Approval.

What you should do

1. Dial *315# today to check your phone, and *#06# to note your IMEI.
2. If you received an alert, contact your seller first, then the 315 helpline.
3. Ignore anyone who calls or messages offering paid “unblocking”.
4. Before buying any phone, ask whether it is NCC type approved, and keep your receipt.

Sources

• allAfrica: NCC Moves to Block Fake, Cloned Devices From Nigerian Networks
• Nairametrics: NCC registers 231 million telecom devices as Nigeria begins phone verification
• TechAfrica News: Nigeria’s Phone Crackdown

Featured image: Photo: “he was waiting his parents to stop looking at a smartphone shop” by giacomo.gasperini, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Openverse — source