Association of Mobile Communication Device Technicians of Nigeria (AMCODET), has called on the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to make it mandatory for mobile phones to be registered at the point of purchase.

According to Kehinde Apara, president of AMCODET, implementing this registration process would significantly help in combating phone theft and assist in locating stolen devices.

Apara, made this appeal in an interview in Lagos on Monday.

He stated, “Registration of mobile phones will reduce theft to the barest minimum, as it will be difficult for thieves to sell registered stolen phones.”

Apara explained that the registration of new phones would also help to reduce the harassment faced by technicians by security agencies.

“So many of our members have been labelled accomplices in theft cases, because customers bring stolen phones to them to repair. We believe this is unfair to such innocent people,” he said.

He went on to highlight that the NIN-SIM linkage, which was originally an idea brought forward by AMCODET, was created to curb insecurity and theft.

However, Apara pointed out that “It is not enough.”

He stressed the need for further measures to ensure the proper registration of mobile phones, emphasising that such a step would make it easier for technicians to identify stolen devices brought in for repair or flashing.

“AMCODET has been at the forefront of organising seminars on the security of mobile phones and has also been sensitising the public and authorities on the challenges faced by the association due to phone theft. There is no way our members can identify if a phone is stolen when brought to them for repairs or flashing, but if the phone is registered, the technician can more easily identify it,” he explained.

Apara also expressed a desire for closer collaboration with security agencies, saying, “We want to work with security agencies to ensure that phones are properly registered, theft is prevented, and thieves are brought to book.”

In additin to the call for phone registration, Apara appealed to individuals and the private sector to support efforts to develop the mobile phone industry in Nigeria.

He remarked, “We need individuals’ support to develop our industry, rather than relying on government for everything.”

He emphasised that Nigeria has the capacity to develop its own technology and reduce reliance on imported devices, “With the support of individuals and the private sector, Nigerians can begin to develop its own technology, rather than relying on imported technology.”

Apara expressed optimism for the future of the mobile phone industry in Nigeria, believing that with the right support, the country could build its own technological solutions and move towards greater self-reliance.

“We can develop our own technology.”

“But we need the support of individuals and organisations to make it happen,” he said.

Credit: NAN

French antitrust regulators have fined Apple 150 million euros ($162 million) over its App Tracking Transparency (ATT) feature, which is facing scrutiny in multiple European countries.

The French Competition Authority ruled that Apple’s implementation of ATT was “neither necessary nor proportionate to the company’s stated goal to protect user data” and unfairly penalized third-party publishers.

Alongside the financial penalty, Apple has been ordered to publish the decision on its website for seven days. The ruling comes amid ongoing investigations in Germany, Italy, Romania, and Poland into ATT, which Apple introduced in 2021 as a privacy safeguard.

ATT requires apps to obtain explicit user consent via a pop-up before tracking activity across other apps and websites. If users decline, the app loses access to their advertising identifier, limiting targeted advertising. Critics argue that the system disproportionately benefits Apple by restricting competitors while promoting its own advertising services.

The French watchdog found that ATT forces users to navigate excessive consent windows for third-party apps on iPhones and iPads, making the process unnecessarily complicated.

Additionally, Apple’s system requires users to opt out of ad tracking twice rather than once, which the authority said undermines the feature’s neutrality and causes economic harm to app publishers and ad service providers.

The ruling emphasized that smaller publishers, which rely heavily on third-party data collection for revenue, are particularly affected.

The French regulator initially declined to impose emergency measures in 2021 after complaints from the advertising industry, but continued its investigation, ultimately leading to Monday’s decision.

Pan-African technology company Cassava Technologies, in a strategic collaboration with Microsoft, has launched a community engagement initiative focused on South Africa.

Through this initiative, the two organisations will establish training hubs for youth in the local communities that will help spur employment opportunities in the renewable energy industry.

By prioritising renewable energy skills development, energy efficiency, and community microgrids, the initiative will empower the next generation to lead in the transition to clean energy. Activities will be focused in Johannesburg and Cape Town, where Cassava and Microsoft operate.

The project’s training hubs will play a vital role in equipping Africa’s women and youth with the skills they need to thrive in the renewable energy industry and ensure that the benefits of the energy transition are realised by all.

Cassava Technologies, through its renewable energy company and co-location companies, will be a key player in this collaboration. Their local renewable energy expertise will ensure that the initiative delivers tangible benefits linked to clean energy jobs and projects to the communities that are involved.

Through this initiative, Cassava and Microsoft are supporting community engagement and sustainable development in the region and across the continent, which lays the groundwork for expansion into other African markets.

Finhai Munzara, Chief Corporate Development Officer of Cassava Technologies, said, “We are honoured to collaborate with Microsoft on this project, which ensures that we bring all Africans along as we transition to a digitally connected future using sustainable energy. By leveraging our technological expertise, on-the-ground experience, and Microsoft’s global reach, we are poised to make a lasting, positive impact on South African communities.”

“We are pleased to work with Cassava to support climate initiatives in South Africa that enhance local communities, ensuring that those all have the tools to thrive,” said Markus Swart, Director of Data Centre Operations in South Africa at Microsoft.