NCC as a consumer-centric telecoms regulator

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has continued to make the telecoms consumer as priority in its programs and policies. No agency or parastatals comes close to the commission on matters regarding consumers.

The commission has continued to encourage consumers to take advantage of its toll-free number 622, the NCC Consumer Portal and the NCC social media platforms.

For example, at the first quarter of 2021, the commission resolved up to 99.2 per cent of service-related complaints received from telecom consumers across the major network operators – this shows that the commission is succeeding in driving the commission into the consciousness of the consumers and making them trust the NCC is poised to resolve all issues.

The Commission received a total of 3,019 consumer complaints from four complaint channels established by the Commission and of the 3,019 consumer complaints, 2,995 consumer complaints, representing 99.2 per cent, were successfully resolved while only 24, representing 0.8 per cent, which were escalated to service providers, are pending resolution from the respective service providers in line with the revised Consumer Complaint/Service Level Agreement.

The Commission is also highly committed to the promotion and empowerment of young women and girls in the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the country.

They are constantly developing programmes and initiative to encourage young people especially young girls to venture into ICT careers and importantly creating a safer space for girls, by raising awareness on digital skills, gender-based violence as well as developing initiatives for the protection of children and girls’ rights online.

One of the many initiatives from the stables of NCC is the sensitization campaigns, an initiative of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), held annually to raise global awareness on empowering and encouraging young women and girls to consider studies and careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).

The commission support for research is next to none, the Research and Development (R&D) activities of the Nigerian Communications Commission involves conducting and supporting cutting edge research into emerging technologies that promote the better understanding of trends in the Telecommunications industry.

In 2020, the Commission awarded Research Grants (Telecommunications-based Research Innovations from Academics in Nigerian Tertiary Institutions programme) to the tune of Fifty-Four Million Seven Hundred and Five Thousand, Six Hundred and Thirty-Two Naira, Fourteen Kobo (₦54,705,632.14) 

Crowning its efforts in putting the consumers first, during the commemoration of the 2021 World Consumer Rights Day, the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, unveiled a Telecoms Consumer Handbook. The new Consumer Handbook, produced by the NCC in collaboration with the Industry Consumers Advisory Forum (ICAF), is a compendium of consumer information materials put together to enhance consumer education and protection.

NCC has continuously proved to be an upright agency that telecoms consumers are totally relying on – which is an ingredient to achieving a robust and world standard telecoms industry.