Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) introduced the USSD code *315# to allow phone owners to check if their handsets have regulatory approval.
That is dialing USSD code *315# and selecting option 1, “Check this device”.
If any device fails the verification test, it could be disconnected from Nigerian telecommunications networks after 30 cumulative days.
The move is part Device Management System (DMS) and Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) to block mobile phones that lack official type-approval in Nigeria.
Text messages carrying the warnings have reportedly been sent to users of Apple iPhones, Tecno, Infinix, Oukitel and Google Pixel devices.
The messages advise recipients to contact their sellers or dial 315 for further guidance.
The warnings have raised concerns among consumers, particularly those who purchased their phones abroad or from local retailers and are unsure whether their devices meet the commission’s requirements.
But the NCC said that the policy aims to curb counterfeit and substandard phones, reduce phone theft, stop cloned/stolen devices from being used in crimes, and improve service quality.
The system uses International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers to identify individual devices and support the commission’s regulatory oversight.
The commission’s enforcement efforts are also intended to strengthen compliance among phone importers, manufacturers and dealers.
