MACRA Spokesperson Wezzie Nkhoma-Somba.

Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) has introduced the Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) system to protect mobile devices from theft and fraud.

The solution, according to MACRA, will protect mobile phone customers from handset theft, prevent mobile money fraud, and identify counterfeit or cloned mobile devices.

In an interview, MACRA Spokesperson Wezzie Nkhoma-Somba stated that the system was created in response to the country's endemic mobile device theft.

"The system empowers mobile phone owners by allowing them to trace or block their handset if it is stolen or lost," she said.

MACRA is carrying out the project in collaboration with the country's two well-known mobile service providers, TNM and Airtel Malawi.

According to her, the system will provide complete privacy because it maintains and uses International Mobile Equipment Identity -(IMEIS) that detects the actual handset worldwide rather than simcard numbers and all Sim card transactions.

"After seeing difficulties faced by the public when they lose their gadgets we came up with the system which will protect mobile phone subscribers from handset theft," she said in a statement.

She went on to say that the report from Malawi Police Services or the subscriber will prompt CEIR to trace, block, and blacklist the mobile device associated with the report based on its IMEI.