Yemisi Izuora
The Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, has said that Nigerians will have to submit the International Mobile Equipment Identity IMEI of their phones to it beginning from July.
The NCC stated this in its Revised National Identity Policy for SIM Card Registration.
“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.”
The IMEI number is the mobile phone’s fingerprint. It is a 15-digit number unique to each phone. With the IMEI number, a phone can be tracked and located irrespective of the cellular number in it.
With this move, the NCC will have the IMEI numbers, NIN, and mobile numbers of every Nigerian.