Phone dealers and other mobile device traders under the Association of Mobile Phones and Allied Products Traders of Nigeria have rejected the proposed registration fees for newly imported mobile devices under the Nigerian Communications Commission’s (NCC) Device Management System (DMS).
The traders said they supported the DMS, which is intended to establish a register of mobile devices operating on Nigerian telecommunications networks, but opposed the payment requirement attached to the registration of newly imported devices.
President of the association, Hon. Musa Haruna Mamza, said the proposed fees would ultimately be transferred to consumers as original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), distributors and dealers seek to recover the additional cost.
Mamza said the association was concerned that consumers could face higher prices for mobile devices as a result of the proposed charges.
‘The companies that produce the devices refuse to say they will bear the cost, and so the OEMs, dealers or distributors will be at the cost of paying that fee. Then they will transfer it to the end user,’ he said.
He said the association was not opposed to the registration of mobile devices but urged the NCC to review the payment component and conduct broader consultations with industry stakeholders before implementation.
Mamza also expressed concern over what he described as inadequate sensitisation of mobile phone traders ahead of the proposed rollout.
According to him, many traders had yet to receive sufficient information or training on the requirements and procedures under the DMS.
‘We are not against the policy. We are against some of the aspects which are detrimental to the industry. This is our concern,’ he said.
Mamza said the initial timeframe for implementation was inadequate, given the size and spread of Nigeria’s mobile device trading industry.
He urged the NCC to allow between three and six months for sensitisation, saying the additional period would enable the commission and stakeholders to educate traders, resolve outstanding concerns and prepare businesses for compliance.
He said the association had written to relevant authorities to formally communicate its concerns and seek further engagement on the proposed policy.
Mamza also appealed to the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy to intervene and ensure that the concerns of mobile phone traders were addressed before the payment component of the DMS is enforced.
‘If the Minister of Communication is not aware, let him be aware and let him call the NCC to order. Let him do the right thing,’ he said.
The association warned that a poorly coordinated implementation could put additional pressure on businesses across the mobile device distribution and retail chain, particularly if higher costs affect consumer demand.
Mamza maintained that the traders’ position was not a rejection of government efforts to regulate mobile devices, but a call for wider consultation, adequate sensitisation and a review of measures that could increase costs for businesses and consumers.
The association is therefore seeking further engagement with the NCC and other relevant authorities before the proposed registration fees are enforced.