The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has been charged with the responsibility to collect the phone IMEI numbers of Nigerians from July. This was contained in the Revised National Identity Policy for SIM Card Registration recently published by the Federal Ministry of Communications.
Already approved by President Muhammadu Buhari and expected to be implemented within three months., the aim of IMEI submission according to the policy is “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 (DMS).”
The policy explained that the Centralized Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) otherwise known as Device Management System (DMS) will serve as a repository for keeping records of all registered mobile phones’ International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) and owners of such devices.
The objectives of implementing the DMS are as follows:
i. To register and capture the IMEIs of all mobile phones and other smart devices on the DMS which will serve as a repository for sharing data of stolen devices across all networks;
ii. To ensure all un-registered devices do not work in any of the Networks in Nigeria;
iii. To ensure every reported IMEIs for stolen and illegal mobile phones and other smart devices are blacklisted and shared with all operators across all networks;
iv. To mitigate Mobile Phone theft and protect Nigerians from been attacked to snatch their mobile phones and other smart devices;
v. To blacklist and render all stolen Mobile Phones and other Smart Devices valueless in the Nigerian Mobile Phones Market;
vi. To ease the use of mobile phones and other smart devices in all public places without fear of been attacked by mobile phone snatchers;
vii. To facilitate the use of digital technology solutions to address key issues bothering Nigerians in the telecommunication sector; and
viii. To facilitate the implementation of Device Management System in Nigeria in accordance with best global practice.
What is IMEI?
The International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number is a unique 15-digit code that precisely identifies the device with the SIM card input. Based on this number, you can check some information about the device, eg brand or model.
The first 14 digits are defined by GSM Association organization. The last digit is generated by an algorithm named Luhn formula and it has a control character. This number is an individual number assigned to each and every phone all over the world. The easiest way to IMEI check on any phone is to use the *#06# sequence.
The IMEI was created because the SIM card number cannot be a permanent identifier of the device. The SIM Card is associated with the user and can be easily transferred from the phone to another phone that’s why IMEI was developed.
Why would you need to check the IMEI Number?
The number is useful when you would like to send the device for service to fill out warranty forms. Besides that, if you want to report a stolen or a lost phone at the police or network operator you should use the IMEI Number as well. After that, you can block your phone and it will make the device unusable, regardless of whether the SIM card is changed or removed. What is also really important is that IMEI contains a few secret information about the product but also sometimes allows you to locate the smartphone.
Why Does the Government Really Want the IMEI of Nigerians?
Understandably, Nigeria is facing serious security crises. As such the government is looking for ways to tackle the problem. One of them was the NIN-SIM linkage which is still ongoing.
This new policy for Nigerians to submit the IMEI of their phones is a step too far and may breach privacy because the government and its agencies will be able to monitor and track the activities of all Nigerians. Additionally, it will help them clamp down on opposition with ease.
Recall that during the #EndSARS protest, the government was handicapped as Nigerians leveraged social media and messaging apps to call for an end to police brutality.
This further fuels the suspicion of Nigerians of Isa Pantami, the Minister of Communication who has been allegedly accused of being a terrorist sympathiser, that the government has ulterior motives in collating the data of Nigerians.
Unequivocally, this policy is dead on arrival and needs to be immediately reviewed by the federal government.
