The House of Representatives has raised concerns that the NCC’s new phone verification rules could make handsets more expensive and leave some genuine phones blocked, asking the commission to review how the requirements are being enforced.
The House adopted the resolution following a motion sponsored by Sani Wakili, who represents a constituency in Kano State.
Lawmakers warned that the cost of complying with the requirements could increase expenses for phone importers and retailers, who might pass the extra costs on to buyers.
They also raised concerns that technical errors, mismatches in databases and limitations in the verification system could lead to genuine devices being wrongly rejected or blocked.
The lawmakers said the impact could be particularly severe in the second-hand phone market, where many Nigerians depend on used devices because they cost less than new ones.
While acknowledging the NCC’s efforts to tackle counterfeit, cloned and stolen phones, the House said the enforcement process should not punish legitimate traders or make affordable handsets harder to access.
It urged the commission to simplify verification procedures, reduce compliance costs and establish a fair process for checking used phones.
The House also directed its Committees on Communications and Commerce to engage the NCC and other relevant stakeholders on the implementation of the rules. The committees are expected to report back within four weeks.
Its Committee on Legislative Compliance was also directed to monitor compliance with the resolution.
The NCC’s verification framework uses the Device Management System and the Central Equipment Identity Register to identify and verify mobile phones through their International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers.
The House’s intervention follows complaints from phone traders about charges associated with the verification process.
The Association of Mobile Phones and Allied Products Traders of Nigeria (AMPATN) has separately called for a 90-day suspension of the policy, warning that the fees could increase phone prices and threaten jobs in the sector.
