NCC phone checker: how to use *315# and what the 30-day rule means for you

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has launched a Device Checker that lets anyone confirm, by dialling *315#, whether a phone or other SIM-enabled device is approved for use on Nigerian networks. The regulator unveiled the service at a news conference in Abuja on Tuesday, 13 October 2026, Channels Television and the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported.

The checker is part of a tougher type approval system that took effect on Wednesday, 7 October 2026, according to the NCC’s own guide, last updated on 12 October.

Why does this matter to you?

Devices that cannot be verified may be denied access to Nigerian networks, Channels Television reported. Since the weekend, some phone owners have received text messages from a sender called “NCC-Checker” saying their device “is not verified for use on Nigerian mobile networks” and warning of disconnection after 30 cumulative days, Technext reported.

The messages have unsettled people who bought phones abroad, online or in local markets, and some users have asked why phones already in use were flagged, The Sun reported.

Do I need to do anything if my phone is already in use?

For most people, no. The NCC says phones that were connected to a Nigerian network before 7 October have been verified automatically, with no action needed from their owners. Phones bought in Nigeria, new or used, and phones passed on by family or friends ordinarily need no action either, according to the commission’s guide.

Buyers who get their phones from Nigerian sellers do not have to obtain type approval themselves. That duty falls on manufacturers, importers and suppliers, Channels Television reported.

Anyone whose device cannot be verified, or who faces a restriction, should contact the seller or their network provider, the NCC says.

How do I check a phone with *315#?

• Dial *315# and follow the Device Checker prompts, or use the Device Checker page on the NCC’s website.
• To check a device other than the one you are using, you may be asked for its 15-digit IMEI number. Dial *#06# on that device to see it.
• For help, call the NCC’s toll-free line, 315.

An approved device returns a message saying it “is NCC Type Approved and verified for use on Nigerian mobile networks”, Technext reported.

A failed check does not mean a phone is fake. “A device that cannot be verified is not automatically confirmed to be counterfeit,” the NCC’s guide says. Its advice to buyers is blunt: “Do not pay for a device until the seller can clarify and resolve an unsuccessful verification result.”

What about phones bought abroad?

A phone that has never been used in Nigeria can be used with a Nigerian SIM for up to 30 cumulative days within a one-year period without being verified, the NCC says. A phone that has already been used here with a Nigerian SIM is verified, and visitors roaming on a foreign SIM are not affected.

People who buy a device abroad for their own use can verify it “using details of their travel history”, according to the commission, which asks them to call 315 for a step-by-step guide.

Which devices are covered, and why now?

The rules cover smartphones, feature phones, cellular tablets, SIM-enabled laptops and point-of-sale (POS) terminals, and eligible internet-of-things devices, Channels Television and TVC News reported. The legal basis is Section 132(2) of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003, which requires type approval before communications equipment is sold or used in Nigeria.

“Type Approval is not merely a regulatory requirement. It is a vital mechanism for protecting consumers,” Edoyemi Ogoh, the NCC’s Director of Technical Standards and Network Integrity, said at the launch, according to Channels Television. The system is meant to weed out counterfeit phones, which imitate genuine products, and cloned phones, which use IMEI numbers belonging to other devices, the broadcaster reported.

Can the NCC see what is on my phone?

No, according to the regulator. “Device Checker does not give the NCC access to your personal content,” its guide says, adding that the service does not track, monitor or record a user’s location. Ogoh told reporters the system works with device identifiers such as the IMEI and “was not a surveillance tool”, NAN reported.

How do I avoid scams?

The NCC warns that fraudsters may try to exploit the new process. Use only *315# and the official Device Checker webpage. Enter a one-time code only during an official verification process, and never give it to a caller, a seller or anyone else. NCC staff will not ask for your one-time code, the commission says.

What happens next

The NCC is working with the Nigeria Customs Service to register devices already in stock and to verify newly imported ones, NAN reported. Until then, the advice is simple: check any SIM-enabled device with *315# before you pay for it, and call 315 if a phone you already own is flagged.