Nigeria: Fees for the new phone registry raise fears of price increases
September 23rd 2026
In Africa, the price of devices is considered one of the main obstacles to the adoption of telecom services. GSMA data shows that 73% of Nigerians did not own smartphones in 2024.
In Nigeria, the implementation of the mobile phone registry is raising fears of price increases. This is what the Association of Mobile Phones and Allied Products Traders of Nigeria (AMPAT) has suggested, opposing the registration fees planned for newly imported devices under the Device Management System (DMS) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
In a statement relayed last week by the local press, AMPAT clarified that it does not question the principle of the DMS, which it considers a useful tool for establishing a registry of phones connected to Nigerian networks. Its president, Musa Mamza, believes, however, that actors in the distribution chain, from manufacturers to retailers, could incorporate the new charges into their costs rather than absorbing them.
The cost of smartphones remains one of the main obstacles to the adoption of these devices and, consequently, to access to the internet and digital services. According to the GSMA, in Nigeria, between 2018 and 2024, the median cost of an entry-level smartphone fell from $84 to $18, reducing its share of average monthly income to 26%. However, this effect was largely offset by the devaluation of the naira and the rising cost of living. For the poorest 40% of the Nigerian population, an entry-level smartphone represents 56% of their monthly income, compared to 73% for the poorest 20%. The smartphone ownership rate was only 27% in 2024.
AMPAT says it has contacted the relevant authorities regarding these fees, but the NCC has not yet publicly addressed the concerns raised by the organization. The association has also called on the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, to intervene with the regulator to review the financial terms of the scheme.
The organization is also requesting a three- to six-month delay before the financial provisions of the DMS come into effect. It believes this period would allow the thousands of affected distributors and retailers to familiarize themselves with the registration procedures.
Back