Device importers, OEMs raise concerns over NCC’s October 6 DMS deadline

Device importers, Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), dealers and vendors have raised concerns over the October 6, 2026 deadline set by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) for the onboarding of existing devices in stock onto its Device Management System (DMS).

The concerns centre on the time available to complete the registration, uncertainty around some aspects of the process, potential additional costs for businesses and consumers, and whether the DMS platform can cope with a surge in registrations as the deadline approaches.

The NCC, in a September 7, 2026 email to OEMs, importers, dealers and vendors of communications devices, said it had extended the deadline for onboarding existing devices in stock to October 6 following feedback from stakeholders who requested additional time to complete the process.

What they are saying

Speaking with Nairametrics, stakeholders said the extended deadline may still not provide enough time for businesses that are yet to complete the registration process, particularly those with large volumes of devices and IMEIs to upload.

• “The primary challenge is the duration of the grace period given. Stakeholders will need more time to complete the necessary registration, for those who are yet to do this, on the portal and upload the IMEIs requested,” an OEM source said.

The source also pointed to what they described as grey areas in the implementation process that need to be clarified before the system becomes fully operational.

One of the key concerns is the absence of a clearly defined procedure for appealing cases where a device is flagged because its IMEI has been damaged or altered through legitimate circumstances.

• “There is no stated procedure in appealing in situations where a device is flagged due to a damaged IMEI that was damaged legally. Take for…