Nigerian govt to track phones of citizens, to collect IMEI numbers

The Nigerian Communications Commission has announced that beginning from July, Nigerians will be required to submit the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) of their phones to it.

This was stated by the regulatory body in the Revised National Identity Policy for SIM Card Registration.

IMEI is a unique number given to every single mobile phone, typically found behind the battery. With the IMEI number, a phone can be tracked and located irrespective of the cellular number in it.

Part of the policy reads, “President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, has directed that the Device Management System should be implemented within three months.”

Read also: NCC arrests five persons over alleged SIM card fraud

“With the aim to curtail the counterfeit mobile phone market, discourage mobile phone theft, enhance National Security, protect consumer interest, increase revenue generation for the government, reduce the rate of kidnapping, mitigate the use of stolen phones for crime, and facilitate blocking or tracing of stolen mobile phones and other smart devices, one of the means to achieve this is through the deployment of Device Management System.

“The implementation of a Centralised Equipment Identity Register otherwise known as Device Management System will serve as a repository for keeping records of all registered mobile phones’ International Mobile Equipment Identity and owners of such devices.

“IMEIs that have been reported as either stolen or illegal will be shared through the DMS to all the operators and service providers.”

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