Step 1: Use Find My iPhone or Find My Device to locate and lock it
If Find My (iPhone) or Find My Device (Android) was already turned on before the phone was stolen, this is your fastest and most reliable option, and it's free and built into both platforms.
- iPhone: On another Apple device, open the Find My app, or go to icloud.com/find on a computer or borrowed device and sign in with the stolen phone's Apple Account. Select the device and choose Mark As Lost (Apple's current name for Lost Mode) to lock it with your passcode, suspend Apple Pay cards, and display a message with a contact number on the lock screen. You can also erase the device remotely if you're confident it won't be recovered.
- Android: On another device, go to android.com/find or use Find My Device from a signed-in Google account. You can locate, ring, lock with a message, or erase the phone remotely.
Important caveat: if Find My or Find My Device wasn't enabled before the theft, or if the thief turns the phone off or resets it before you act, this method won't locate it. Live tracking also stops once the phone loses power or network connection, though Apple's Find My network can still show a last known location from before it went offline.
Step 2: Report the theft to the Nigeria Police Force
File a report at the nearest police station and request a written copy from the officer in charge — this documentation is what your network operator will typically ask for before blacklisting your IMEI. The Nigeria Police Force also runs a dedicated cybercrime reporting channel, the National Cybercrime Centre e-reporting portal, alongside standard emergency lines.
Caveat on this step: beyond the general police-report requirement described by Nigeria's telecom regulator, we could not confirm via search a single, dedicated, nationwide police unit or step-by-step procedure specific to stolen-phone reports (as opposed to general theft or cybercrime reports). If your local station directs you to a specific division, follow their guidance, and treat any process not confirmed here as something to verify locally rather than assume.
Step 3: Get your IMEI blacklisted with your network
Every phone has a unique 15-digit IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) number, found on the original box, purchase receipt, or, if you still have access to a linked device or backup, in your phone's settings. With your police report and IMEI number, contact your network operator, MTN, Airtel, Glo, or 9mobile, and ask them to blacklist the device.
Nigeria's Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has also rolled out a Device Management System intended to share blacklisted IMEIs across all network operators, so a phone blocked on one network stays blocked if a thief tries a different network's SIM. This is a genuine step forward from blacklisting that only worked on a single carrier, though how completely and quickly it's enforced in practice can vary.
Do this even if you don't expect to get the phone back — blacklisting the IMEI makes the device far less valuable to resell locally, which is a real deterrent even when physical recovery isn't likely.
What about SIM blocking?
Separately from the phone's IMEI, ask your network operator to block your SIM card as soon as possible, ideally before or alongside the police report. A thief with an active SIM can potentially receive OTP codes tied to your bank, email or social accounts, which is often a bigger immediate risk than the hardware itself. Most networks let you request this by calling customer care or visiting a service centre.
People also ask
What if I never turned on Find My or Find My Device?
You lose the ability to remotely locate or lock the phone, which is why turning it on in advance matters. You can still report the theft to police and request IMEI blacklisting with your network using your phone's box or purchase receipt to confirm the IMEI.
Can a stolen iPhone be reset and reused despite Find My?
Apple's Activation Lock, tied to Find My, prevents a stolen iPhone from being reactivated or reused without the original Apple Account password, even after a factory reset. This is a strong deterrent independent of IMEI blacklisting.
Should I still buy a used phone if I can't confirm its IMEI is clean?
Ask the seller for the original box and receipt, and check the IMEI against your own knowledge of the device's history where possible. A seller unwilling to provide this, or a price that seems too low for the model, is a reasonable basis for caution before buying a used phone in Nigeria.