The Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, says it intends to develop a Mobile Device Management System, MDMS to combat the influx of fake Information and Communication Technology  devices in the country.

The Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, disclosed this at the ‘Telecom Executives and Regulators Forum, TERF 2019, organised by the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria, ATCON.

According to Danbatta who was represented by the Director, Policy Competition and Economic Analysis of the Commission, Mr. Mohammed Babajika, the proposed MDMS would have the capacity to facilitate the mandatory registration of all SIM-based devices in the country.

He also said that the system would block all stolen, counterfeit, illegal or otherwise substandard SIM-based devices from the operators’ networks.

Danbatta noted that MDMS will interface with the Nigeria Customs Service, tax authorities, the Standards Organisations of Nigeria, SON and other relevant agencies to ensure the full registration, payment of duties and taxes due on those devices.

“It will interface with security agencies to ensure the protection of security and privacy of ICT device users in Nigeria. NCC and other relevant government agencies in Nigeria are going tough on fake devices”.

“Counterfeiting is a global challenge that has elicited a common disquiet among stakeholders worldwide, especially,  in respect to the continued influx of counterfeit and illegal ICT devices into  both developed and developing countries”.

“Nigeria is not in any way immune to this problem. The challenges posed by this menace are quite devastating, hindering the progress made so far in ICT usage and processes in terms of its economic, social, environmental and security impacts on the country,” he said.

Danbatta said that the unchecked import and use of unregistered, cloned, substandard, counterfeit, stolen and or non-compliant devices posed a considerable threat to Quality of Service, QoS and Quality of Experience QoE and security in the country.

He said that after due consideration of inputs from stakeholders, the resolution reached was to deploy an end-to-end technology based solution in combating the influx of cloned and fake ICT devices into the country.

Speaking on the essence of the forum, the President of Association of Telecoms Companies of Nigeria, ATCON, Olusola Teniola said that the forum was designed for the purpose of creating a veritable opportunity for key industry players to interact with the industry regulators.

According to him, the forum will enable stakeholders to understand how best to cooperate with the regulatory agency in ensuring the effectiveness and success of policies and regulations in the industry.

“To a large extent, the forum is on measures that will fast-track the rapid expansion of telecommunications services across the federation in the years ahead”.

“The association is of the opinion that today’s telecom and ICT sector in Nigeria is built on continuous strategic engagements amongst all players in the sector and the projected growth can only be attained if these engagements continue”.

“There is a popular saying that ‘change is inevitable’, the truth is that our industry is changing on daily basis or we can say that the industry is being disrupted by new technological innovations”.

“For our members to stay afloat and remain players in the industry, new business models must be evolved by our members,” he said.

Teniola, however, said that regulation and policies also needed to be reviewed, fine-tuned and strengthened, so that all and sundry could remain in business.

“We need to succeed in further winning the confidence of the international community to see Nigeria as a preferred investment destination in Africa,” he said.

Report by: Theresa Igata