How To Identify Approved Phones With *315# Before Buying — NCC Explains To Nigerians

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has advised Nigerians to verify mobile phones before purchase to ensure the devices are approved for use on the country’s telecommunications networks.

The commission said prospective buyers could check a phone’s status by dialling *315# or using the device checker available on its website.

Speaking on Newsnight on Arise Television, the NCC’s Director of Technical Standards and Network Integrity, Eduyemi Ogoh, said the verification process was particularly important for people purchasing second-hand phones or devices imported from other countries.

“Before you buy the phone, dial *315# and confirm that the phone is fully verified before you pay,” he said.

Ogoh explained that the device checker was introduced to fulfil the commission’s statutory obligations under the Nigerian Communications Act 2003, protect consumers and address complaints about poor network performance associated with mobile devices.

“The whole intent of \(type approval\) is to ensure that every device coming into the country is genuine and works the way it should work,” he said.

He said the initiative was designed to help consumers avoid spending money on counterfeit or imitation devices rather than genuine products.

Consumers, he added, should be able to verify a phone’s authenticity and compliance status before completing a purchase.

Ogoh noted that the commission had identified cases in which complaints about telecommunications service quality were linked to the devices used rather than the networks themselves.

According to him, unapproved or malfunctioning phones could affect not only their owners but also other users within the same area.

To verify a device, buyers are required to dial *315# and follow the instructions to submit the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI), a unique identifier assigned to each mobile phone. Prospective buyers can obtain the number from sellers and complete the check before making payment.

However, Ogoh clarified that a phone failing the verification process does not automatically mean it is counterfeit, explaining that type approval and device verification serve different purposes.

He said type approval involves laboratory testing of a phone model to determine whether it meets the required technical standards and can function properly on Nigerian telecommunications networks.

Individual device verification, on the other hand, determines whether a particular phone has been registered in the NCC’s device checker system via its IMEI.

“Type approval is done just once per model,” Ogoh said, adding that manufacturers, vendors and importers were responsible for securing the approval rather than individual buyers.

He further explained that the enhanced compliance process covers devices brought into Nigeria from October 7, while phones already connected to Nigerian networks as of midnight on October 6 had been onboarded and verified.

The commission had registered approximately 231 million existing devices, he said.

“We know that people have spent their money to do this, so you cannot be asking them to go and throw those phones out,” he said.

Addressing privacy concerns, Ogoh said the verification system relies solely on a device’s IMEI and does not grant the NCC access to users’ calls, contacts, text messages or other stored information.

He added that checking a phone before purchase could help consumers avoid unexpected device-related problems and determine whether an unapproved handset might be responsible for poor network reception.

Consumers experiencing difficulties with the device checker can dial 315 for assistance, while complaints about telecommunications services can be directed to the NCC’s consumer complaint line on 622.