The Nigerian Communications Commission has stated that sellers of unapproved devices are at risk of arrest and prosecution when caught.
This is as it warned Nigerians against using phones and telecommunication gadgets that it had not approved.
It stated that the certification of devices used in the telecom sector was one of its mandates as enshrined in the Nigerian Communications Act (2003).
It said non-type approved telecom devices were supplied to the Nigerian market from grey sources and were known to degrade the quality of services in the network.
The Executive Vice of the NCC, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, disclosed this at the 5th edition of Market Conversation, a telecom consumer outreach programme of the commission, which took place recently at the GSM Village in Abuja.
Danbatta, who spoke through the Deputy Director Consumer Affairs Bureau, Dr Emilia Nwokoro, said traders need to be sensitised about the implications of trading in substandard products as they may face the risk of arrest and prosecution when found selling non-type approved devices.
He said, “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.”
The Chairman of GSM Village Market, Abuja, Macdonald Ajuogu, stated that the market union had a task force that monitors the types and standards of devices sold in the market.
Ajuogu, said, “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.”
