By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Reports say Innjoo Technology, a Lagos-based telecommunications firm, has paid the N4 million fine imposed on it by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) for selling mobile phones not type-approved.
Following the payment of the penalty, the agency lifted its ban on the company and the firm is now back in business.
According to Head of NCC’s enforcement unit, Mr Salisu Abdul, Innjoo had forwarded eight phones for test, and six models were approved by the NCC, while the remaining two were obsolete and hence not approved.
Mr Abdul explained that after the approval of some of the phones, Innjoo had refused to pay the sanction for the marketing of the remaining two without approval.
He said the NCC would not hesitate to sanction operators and dealers that did not seek its approval before selling any device in the country’s telecommunications market.
According to him, the type-approval of a phone was necessary to ensure such devices were compatible with the country’s telecommunications networks.
He said it was an offence to sell or use any device that was not approved by the regulatory body, warning that selling phones not type-approved breaches sections 131, 132 and 133 of the Nigerian Communications Act.
