How Stolen Phones Can End Up in Nigerian Markets as ‘UK-Used’ Devices

Stolen phones do not always remain with the people who take them. Some reportedly pass through middlemen, repairers and dealers before appearing in Nigerian shops as second-hand, refurbished or supposedly new devices. A 2025 investigation by a Nigerian newspaper examined reports of smartphones stolen abroad, including in the United Kingdom and parts of Europe, later being resold in Nigeria. Phones can move through international trading routes and may be repackaged to conceal their history. Not every used phone is stolen, but buyers can struggle to verify a device’s source. The National Bureau of Statistics estimated 25.35 million phone-theft incidents between May 2023 and April 2024, with many cases not reported. Reporting theft quickly can help networks identify and block affected devices through their IMEI numbers. The NCC’s device-management framework is intended to block verified stolen phones on Nigerian networks. Its success will depend on prompt reports, cooperation by telecom operators and dealers keeping reliable records of where their stock comes from.

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