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NCC raids Chinese Mobile Phones Importers in Computer Village

By on February 20, 2012

Two mobile phone vendors operating from the popular Computer Village in Ikeja had their operations shut down by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) last Friday.

The firms Kenxinda Technologies Ltd and G-Tide mobile Ltd were raided by operatives from the NCC’s Enforcement Unit amidst allegations that the firms have been involved in the importation and sales of mobile phones that do not conform to NCC Type Approval License Certificate which enables the companies to deploy their mobile phones on Nigeria’s telecoms network.

The NCC had written the two telecoms firms in September 2011 warning them of the laws of Nigeria that states all mobile phones and telecoms equipment must conform to NCC approved standards. However despite several attempts at correspondence by the NCC, the businesses failed to honour NCCs invitation for a meeting, forcing the NCCs hands to close their business.

The NCC’s spokesman, Mr. Reuben Mouka, spoke during the raids. He said, ““We are witnesses to this enforcement exercise at the premises of Kenxinda Mobile. The company is selling a range of mobile phones, (we could count up to 17 models) that are not type approved by the NCC. You are aware that before any equipment is installed in this network, it must be type approved by the NCC. There is only one single network in Nigeria and all equipment that comes in is plugged on to that network. So, this company decides to be importing mobile phones that are not type approved.

“You know the problems associated with the use of substandard phones in the network, how it depreciates the network. The commission has been talking about Quality of Service with emphasis and this is the type of things that contribute to poor QoS where people import equipment that is not type approved and are using it on the network.”

The Head of Enforcement of the NCC, Mr. Efosa Idehen stated, ““Sometime last year, we began to see adverts on the pages of newspapers of various mobile phones that are being imported and sold in the country. And as a regulator of the industry, we looked at those involved and called them for a meeting but they refused to come for the meeting.

“Thereafter, we put up a public notice to warn everybody who is selling phones that are not type approved in Nigeria and after the expiration of that public notice, which actually expired in December, 2011, we still gave them opportunity to turn around and submit their equipment for type approval. None of them came. Today, we are enforcing against Kexinda and we will follow through the others.”

He also added that the NCC was committed to rid Nigeria of phones that are not approved.