Buying a used phone in Nigeria: the full checklist

6 min read · Updated 4 August 2026

A used phone can be a great buy or an expensive brick. The difference is a ten-minute check. Run through this list before you release payment.

Before you pay

• Ask for the IMEI and confirm it matches the one in Settings and on the box.
• Confirm the phone is not locked to an account: on iPhone check that Find My is off and the device is signed out of iCloud; on Android confirm the Google account has been removed and factory reset protection is clear.
• Ask whether it is factory unlocked or tied to a carrier — a carrier-locked import can be useless on Nigerian networks.
• Ask for a photo of the settings screen showing model, storage, and software version.

Battery and charging

• On iPhone, check Settings › Battery › Battery Health. Below roughly 85% you should expect to replace the battery soon.
• On Android, ask for a battery health reading from the diagnostics menu or a battery app.
• Test that it charges, and ideally that it charges at full speed with the right cable.
• Ask whether the battery has already been replaced, and with an original or third-party part.

Screen and body

• Look for a replaced screen: mismatched colour, a slightly raised edge, or wobbly touch response at the corners.
• Check for dead pixels and burn-in by viewing a plain white and a plain black image full screen.
• Test the touch across the whole screen, including the top and bottom rows of the keyboard.
• Check the frame for bends, and look for water damage around the ports.

Everything else worth testing

1. Both SIM slots with a live SIM, and calls in and out.
2. Front and rear cameras, plus flash and video recording.
3. Speaker, earpiece, and microphone — record a voice note and play it back.
4. Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS.
5. Fingerprint sensor or Face ID.
6. Every button: power, volume, and silent switch.

Refurbished vs used vs 'UK used'

Refurbished means the device was tested and faulty parts replaced, usually with some warranty. Used means as-is. Informal labels like 'UK used' or 'clean' tell you nothing verifiable — go by the condition stated in the listing and by what you can test.

How to pay

Buy through a checkout that holds the payment until the order is fulfilled, so you have a dispute route if the phone arrives locked or faulty. Avoid direct transfers to personal accounts, and inspect the phone on delivery before you confirm receipt.