NCC Grants Approval For Sale Of 2,155 Phones In Nigeria, With Chinese Brands Dominating

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has given its endorsement for the sale of 2,155 phones within the country as of July 2023, with phones made in China taking the lead in the market.

While there are phone brands hailing from various nations, including Finland, France, America, India, Japan, Philippines, Taiwan, South Korea, South Africa, and the UAE, Chinese brands have maintained a prominent presence and hold over the Nigerian market, encompassing more than 300 models.

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Among these phone brands are Tecno Mobile, Nokia, Wiko, Samsung, Panasonic, Huawei, Asus, Apple, HP, Google, Gionee, Alcatel, Oppo, and others.

The approved devices consist of a range of brands and models that have undergone rigorous testing by the telecoms regulator and have been found to meet the requisite type approval standards, qualifying them for sale to Nigerian consumers.

However, the NCC has cautioned both traders and citizens about the potential adverse repercussions of buying and selling phones and telecommunications gadgets that lack its approval.

In a press release provided to LEADERSHIP, Prof. Umar Danbatta, the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, expressed concern about the proliferation of counterfeit handsets in the nation.

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Danbatta stated, “The challenge of counterfeit and substandard handsets is not limited to one country and demands a substantial degree of consumer education, as well as cooperation with other governmental entities, to tackle it.”

He went on to mention, “The prevalence of incidents involving the influx and purchase of counterfeit handsets is more pronounced in developing countries like Nigeria, where importers introduce subpar phones without adhering to the regulatory type-approval procedure designed to validate such devices for the market.”