NCC committed to meeting stakeholders expectations – EVC

Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Aminu Maida, has said meeting the expectations of all stakeholders is at the heart of the commission’s vision.

Dr. Maida stated this Thursday at the 93rd Edition of Telecom Consumer Parliament (TCP) organized by the commission in Abuja with the theme: “Optimising Data Experience: Empowering Consumers Through Awareness and Transparency in a Consumer-Centric Telecom Industry”.
” I would like to stress at the heart of the Commission’s strategic vision is the commitment to meet the expectations of our stakeholders: the
Consumers, the Industry/Licensees, and the government,” he said.

According to the EVC, both
government and operators thrive on satisfied consumers.

He said to achieve this, the commission’s focus has evolved from simply demanding quality
service to ensuring a holistic wuality of experience throughout the telecom
consumer’s lifecycle from SIM registration to usage and even service
disposal.

He said as part of efforts to ensure optimum consumer satisfaction, the commission revised its guidelines to include provisions that hold each player in the value chain accountable.

“Our goal is for consumers to be consistently satisfied with telecom services.

“Over the past months we Our data analysis has shown that quality service delivery is not solely the responsibility of Mobile Network Operators; it
requires collaboration across the value chain.

“Key stakeholders, such as
TowerCos, which provide power and shared infrastructure, as well as those providing essential backhaul services, whether by fibre, microwave or even
satellite, connecting base stations to the core networks of MNOs, all play
crucial roles in ensuring highquality telecom services.

“In recognition of this, the Commission has revised its guidelines to include
provisions that hold each player in the value chain accountable for quality service,” he said.

Maida , however, lamented some of the challenges facing the industry such as vandalism and theft of telecom assets.

He said they frustrate operators’ efforts to deliver quality telecom services.
” In July, through NCC’s advocacy and collaboration with key stakeholders, President
Bola Ahmed Tinubu signed a Presidential Order designating telecom
infrastructure as Critical National Information Infrastructure.
“This Executive Order strengthens our ability to address issues of vandalism,
tampering, and unauthorized access to telecom infrastructure,” he said.

The EVC also assured telecom operators of its commitment to addressing the rising costs impacting the industry.

Maida, acknowledged the economic challenges facing operators and outlined measures aimed at ensuring the sector’s sustainability.

He said, “We cannot ignore the impact of current macroeconomic challenges and the rising cost of business in the country, which affects the ability of operators to make the necessary investments in the sector.

“The Commission is mindful of this and is actively working with other arms of government and stakeholders to address these issues and ensure the industry’s sustainability.”

He noted that the transition from basic voice services to 5G-enabled innovations, such as smart cities and the Internet of Things, has driven significant digital adoption.

Maida also explained that data usage and billing transparency have emerged as major consumer concerns, prompting the NCC to audit the billing systems of Mobile Network Operators and Internet Service Providers.