Nigeria: every imported phone model needs NCC Type Approval and IMEI submission

Nigeria's communications regulator (NCC) said on October 19, 2026, working with Customs, that every device model imported, assembled or sold in Nigeria needs NCC Type Approval, and importers must submit IMEIs before sale. Non-compliant new devices may be blocked from networks once enforcement is fully in place. No deadline or penalties have been published.

For: ImportersResellersSmall businesses

What changed

Per Vanguard and TechEconomy, the NCC issued a notice on October 19, 2026 together with the Nigeria Customs Service. It says every mobile device model imported, assembled or sold in Nigeria needs NCC Type Approval. Importers and original equipment makers must submit the IMEI numbers of the devices before they are sold. New devices that do not comply may be blocked from networks once enforcement is fully in place.

Covered products: smartphones, feature phones, tablets, modems, laptops with a SIM, and POS terminals. The 231 million devices already registered on networks are not affected. The NCC says a device can be checked with *315#.

Not yet published: an enforcement date, penalties, or what happens to stock already in transit or on shelves. Treat those as not confirmed.

What it means for your business

If you ship phones, tablets, modems or POS terminals from Shenzhen to Nigeria, an unapproved model can now be stuck at the port or end up blocked on the network after you have paid for it. The risk is highest for small traders who buy mixed lots of phones in Shenzhen and Guangzhou without knowing the exact model numbers.

This comes on top of the normal import steps: a Form M through your bank, a SONCAP certificate for regulated products (product certificate from US$500, per-shipment certificate US$350) and the usual duty and VAT. Type approval is a separate requirement. Use our calculator to see the full cost before you order.

Who is affected

• Anyone shipping phones, tablets, modems, SIM laptops or POS terminals from Shenzhen, Guangzhou or Yiwu to Nigeria.
• Resellers who buy from importers: ask whether the model is type approved before you stock it.
• Phone assemblers in Nigeria, which are also covered.

What to do now

1. Before you pay a supplier, get the exact model number and ask whether NCC Type Approval exists for that model. Check with the NCC or your clearing agent.
2. Ask the supplier to give you the IMEI list for the batch in a file, so it can be submitted before sale.
3. Ask your clearing agent whether Customs is already asking for the approval at the port.
4. Keep new orders small until the NCC publishes a deadline and penalties.
5. Price the full landed cost with the Africa import duty calculator and read our guide to importing from China to Nigeria.

General information, not legal, tax or customs advice. Rules change often: check the official sources above or a licensed customs broker before you act. SuanSupply is not affiliated with any government agency or marketplace named here.