Nigeria, Oct. 17 -- The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has urged Nigerians to verify their phones using the code *315# before paying for them, warning that unverified devices could be counterfeit or substandard.

The commission's Director of Technical Standards and Network Integrity, Edoyemi Ogoh, said the verification process would protect consumers from buying fake devices and help prevent substandard handsets from affecting network service quality for other users.

"Before you buy a phone, dial *315# and confirm that the phone is fully verified before you pay," Mr Ogoh said.

He spoke on Friday during an interview on News Night on Arise News, explaining the NCC's new Device Checker, which took effect on 7 October.

Mr Ogoh ga...