NCC warns against sale of non-type approved devices

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has warned traders and other stakeholders about the negative consequences of selling and purchasing phones and telecommunications gadgets that are not type approved by the commission.

The certification of telecom devices used in the telecom sector is one of the mandates of the NCC as enshrined in the Nigerian Communications Act (2003) whose central objective is the protection of the rights and interests of consumers.

Non-type approved telecom devices, according to the NCC, are considered to be supplied to the Nigerian market from grey sources and are known to degrade the quality of services in the network.

According to Emilia Nwokoro, deputy director, consumer affairs bureau, NCC, traders of substandard products are at risk of arrest and prosecution when found selling non-type approved devices.

Nwokoro, disclosed this while representing the executive vice chairman of the commission, Umar Garba Danbatta at the 5th edition of Market Conversation, at the GSM Village in Abuja.

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“The essence of coming here today is to enlighten the traders on the dangers of selling non-type approved devices.

“The NCC established procedures for certifying telecom products sellable and usable in Nigeria, and that explains the commission’s efforts to raise awareness to ensure that substandard products are not circulated in any market in Nigeria,” she said.

She informed them that the procedure for approval of telecom devices has been established by the Commission, and all type of approved devices have been published on the NCC website for public and user reference. Therefore, traders should take advantage of this information to identify type-approved against none type approved phone devices.

Macdonald Ajuogu, chairman, GSM Village Market, Abuja, said the market union has a task force that monitors the types and standards of devices sold there, and that the association has also put measures in place to deal with any member that goes against their rules.

“Normally, we have a platform in the market whereby anybody that deals with any phone in the market is registered with the union and we also have a task force that always checks on any product that is being sold in the market, including computers that are sold in the GSM village,” he said.