Phone theft is one of the most common crimes in Nigeria. It happens everywhere — in traffic, in markets, on campuses, even inside offices. For a long time, there was no real solution. Victims would lose not just their devices but also money, sensitive data, and irreplaceable memories. On the other side, stolen phones would easily find their way into the second-hand market, fueling an endless cycle of crime.
R54 set out to break that cycle. The result is Mobile Armour, now live at mobilearmour.app.
Why We Built Mobile Armour
The idea was born out of a simple but painful reality: Nigerians were losing billions of naira every year to phone theft, with no structured way to fight back. Reporting to the police was often slow, and buyers had no reliable method to confirm if a second-hand device was stolen.
Our team asked: What if we could make every phone traceable to its true owner?
What if thieves couldn’t profit from stolen devices because resale became impossible?
That’s the thinking that gave birth to Mobile Armour.
The Building Process
R54 began working on Mobile Armour in 2020 with three key principles:
- Simplicity – it had to be easy enough for anyone to use, from students to traders.
- Security – it had to be tamper-proof and trusted by telcos, regulators, and law enforcement.
- Scalability – it had to work across Nigeria, on both smartphones and basic devices.
We started with small prototypes, connecting IMEI numbers with NIN data to prove ownership. By 2022, the first working version allowed users to register their phones and check IMEI numbers. That MVP grew into a full platform with features for registration, ownership transfer, theft reporting, and law enforcement integration.
By 2025, after months of testing and partnerships, Mobile Armour was officially launched as a mobile app, supported by the NCC, major telcos, and the Nigeria Police Force.
How Mobile Armour Helps Everyday Nigerians
The app was built with ordinary Nigerians in mind. Here’s what it does:
- Phone Registration: Users can link their IMEI to their NIN, creating a digital proof of ownership.
- Second-Hand Verification: Before buying a used phone, anyone can check if it’s flagged as stolen — instantly.
- Ownership Transfer: When selling or gifting a phone, ownership can be transferred legally and securely.
- Theft Reporting: If a phone is stolen, it can be blocked within minutes, making it useless on all major networks.
- Law Enforcement Support: Police officers now have tools to verify IMEIs on the spot and return recovered phones to rightful owners.
The Bigger Picture
Mobile Armour isn’t just an app. It’s a step toward a safer Nigeria. By making phone theft less profitable, it attacks crime at its root. For buyers, it builds confidence in the second-hand phone market. For sellers, it reduces the risk of unknowingly handling stolen devices. And for law enforcement, it provides real-time tools to act faster.
Our vision is clear: a future where stolen phones have no value, and accountability is built into every device.
With Mobile Armour now live, Nigerians finally have a practical, home-grown solution to one of the country’s most frustrating problems.
You can try it today at mobilearmour.app.
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