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Telecom Operators’ Call Centres and Subscribers’ Issues

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Dr. Eugene Juwah, executive vice chairman, NCC
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The adoption of Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) model by Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) in the management of their call centres has helped to a large extent in easing difficulties subscribers faces in accessing call centres.

Before the adoption of outsourcing model in the call centre operations, subscribers who have issues with their service hardly speak to humans for resolving such issues rather they where meant to follow interactive voice response system, in most cases does not resolve such issues.

But, with outsourcing, the chances of subscribers that put call to call centres to speak with humans have increased.

However, the greatest challenge facing outsourcing of call centres to the ‘so’ called experts is training.

Most of the attendants at almost all the GSM operators call centres are not knowledgeable in the products and services offered by the operators.

 There have been situations where different attendants offer different explanations to a particular issue of a subscriber.

What this suggests is that the attendants are not properly trained in the products and services of operators they represent, rather emphases are concentrated on politeness of attendants to subscribers calling the centres as against training on services of the operator they interface with their subscribers.

Recently, this writer had issue with the service of transferring airtime to a subscriber which was not delivered while the airtime was deducted.

However, the writer put several calls to the call centre of the operators all the three attendants he spoke with could not offer explanation on what happened and how to revert the airtime that was deducted.

A call centre is operated by a company to administer incoming product support or information inquiries from telemarketing, clientele, product services, and debt collection are also made.

In addition to a call centre, collective handling of letters, faxes, live chat, and e-mail at one location is known as a contact centre.

A call centre is often operated through an extensive open workspace for call centre agents, with work stations that include a computer for each agent, a telephone set/headset connected to a telecom switch, and one more supervisor stations.

It can be independently operated or network with additional centres, often linked to a corporate computer network, including mainframes, microcomputers and LANs.

What this means is that a telephone or internet service provider that is based in Lagos with its major transmission equipment installed in Lagos can give service to a location such as Abuja or Uyo by simply installing another transmission equipment and trans-receiver station that will transmit calls from the sundry location to the major switch at Lagos.

Subscribers to the service in Abuja or Uyo as the case may be will enjoy the service without having to see the people rendering the service but agents not directly employed by the service provider as well as their equipment.

The question that arises is how can this subscriber reach out to the service provider when he or she has issues with the service? Such issues as recharging of phones, where recharge card numbers have been scratched off, SIM card issues among others.

These issues are addressed through contact to the service providers’ call centre located mostly at major towns or at the operational base of the operator depending on the coverage of the operator as well as the technology in use especially for internet service providers.
Subscribers of GSM networks in the country in the past 10 years have not had it smooth reaching call centres of their network to address issues.

 There has been tells of woes as subscribers often time spend 60 minutes waiting to talk to call centre agent while others don’t ever talk to human beings but machine in the name Interactive Voice Response (IVR).

Interactive voice response (IVR), is a technology that allows a computer to detect voice and keypad to detect voice and keypad inputs, IVR technology is used extensively in telecommunications, but is also being introduced into Automobile system for handsfree operation.  IVR System can respond with pre-recorded or dynamically generated audio to further direct users on how to proceed.

 IVR systems can be used to control almost any function where the interface can be broken down into a series of simple menu choices.

 In telecommunications IVR systems generally scale well to handle large call volumes.
More so, the claim by operators that their call centre service is 24 hours has been found deceitful as none of the operators’ call centres could be reached between 8pm and 7am.

Efforts by Operators
As the industry gets matured operators have begun to adopt different strategies to manage their call centres for effective service delivery. MTN has expanded its call centres to accommodate large number of agents to be able to attend to many subscribers at the same time. The telecommunications giant has also refocused its management by outsourcing it to a more competent company for the management of its call centres for an improved service delivery.

Airtel on its part having identified call centre outsourcing as the way forward to addressing the inefficiency of management of its call centres have signed an agreement with Spanco to operate and manage its call centres.

Kapil Puri, Chairman & Managing Director, Spanco, said:  “Bharti Airtel was the pioneer of adopting the BPO model across all its areas of operations in India.  The experience and success that it achieved created a whole new sector in the country that is now regarded as the global centre of excellence for outsourcing.

Currently over 4,000 people are employed in Africa supporting Bharti Airtel’s customer service operations.  Going forward the number of people employed in managing Bharti Airtel’s customer service functions will increase as Bharti Airtel expands its network and customer base.

It is the expectations of subscribers that as these initiatives and more take root, operators should intensify effort on training their call centres attendants on the products and services the offer for better understanding as well as improvement in their ability to resolving issues.


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MTN Nigeria Rewards 1,500+ Winners with ₦290m in Mega Billion Promo

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L-R: Deji Roberts, Assistant Director, Nigerian Communications Commission, Lagos Zonal Office; Ugonwa Nwoye, Chief Customer Relations and Experience Officer, MTN Nigeria; Femi Yusuf, 10 Million MTN Mega Billion Promo Jackpot Winner; Efe Kwado, MTN Mega Billion Promo Winner; Onyinye Ikenna-Emeka, Chief Marketing Officer, MTN Nigeria and Samuel Rowland, Chief Operations Officer, Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority at the MTN Mega Billion Promo Media Parley held on Saturday, July 19, 2025 at the MTN Rooftop Events Centre Plaza, Ikoyi.
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Telecoms giant, MTN Nigeria, has announced the disbursement of over ₦290 million to more than 1,500 winners in its ongoing Mega Billion Promo.

L-R: Deji Roberts, Assistant Director, Nigerian Communications Commission, Lagos Zonal Office; Ugonwa Nwoye, Chief Customer Relations and Experience Officer, MTN Nigeria; Femi Yusuf, 10 Million MTN Mega Billion Promo Jackpot Winner; Efe Kwado, MTN Mega Billion Promo Winner; Onyinye Ikenna-Emeka, Chief Marketing Officer, MTN Nigeria and Samuel Rowland, Chief Operations Officer, Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority at the MTN Mega Billion Promo Media Parley held on Saturday, July 19, 2025 at the MTN Rooftop Events Centre Plaza, Ikoyi.

The update was shared during a live event held on July 19 at the company’s Rooftop Events Centre in Lagos. Representatives from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority, MTN executives, journalists and selected promo winners were in attendance.

Speaking at the event, Onyinye Ikenna-Emeka, MTN’s Chief Marketing Officer, stated that the initiative was launched to support loyal customers during difficult times. “In the last couple of years, it’s been a tough time for the average Nigerian. This promo is one of our ways of making life better for our customers,” she said.

Ikenna-Emeka revealed that the promo has produced over 1,500 winners, including three jackpot winners, 20 winners of ₦5 million each, and more than 100 winners of ₦100,000. She added that the company remains committed to rewarding customers transparently.

One of the jackpot winners, Femi Yusuf, who won ₦10 million, shared his excitement. “I thought it was one of those promos where nothing comes out of it. My wife was the one who spotted my number during the live draw,” he said. When asked about the delivery of his prize, he replied, “Fast and fast. MTN, no scam.”

The event also featured live calls to new winners, including a woman identified as Motunrayo, who won ₦2 million. She expressed joy over the unexpected win, saying, “I’m so grateful. Thanks so much.”

Debo Agun, Senior Manager, Consumer Segment (Mass Market), explained the mechanics of the promo. He said participation is free and open to MTN subscribers who dial *900# to opt in. Airtime purchases serve as entries—₦100 worth of airtime equals one entry, and customers can win multiple times.

Agun stated that 63 winners are selected daily from Monday to Friday, while Saturdays feature 104 winners, including a ₦10 million jackpot. Other prizes range from ₦25,000 to ₦2 million and are paid into customers’ MoMo wallets. Those without wallets can create one by dialing *671#.

Promo draws are conducted and streamed live on MTN’s Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook channels. Independent partners oversee the process to maintain credibility and fairness.

The promo began on June 23 and runs for 90 days.


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MENXTT Tech NG Debuts USA-Spec Devices and Redefines IT Retail in Nigeria

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MENXTT Technology NG has introduced a fresh lineup of USA-specification smartphones alongside its existing range of laptops, accessories, and software tools in a major move to redefine tech quality and customer satisfaction in Nigeria.

The firm, which operates as a fully online IT service provider, is focused on bridging the gap between businesses and customers by offering seamless tech procurement, deployment, and after-sales support.

According to Anthony Emeka Nwosu, Director of Communication and Customer Retention, the company is committed to restoring consumer trust in tech purchases through guaranteed quality, extended warranties, and structured support.

Nwosu stated that the decision to supply USA-grade devices was borne out of frustration with substandard options in the market and zero accountability.

He said MENXTT was built to be responsive, dependable, and quality-driven, assuring customers that they would not be left alone after purchase.

With services covering laptops, accessories, website development, software deployment, and IT support, MENXTT promises to take technology directly to the client with less stress.

The company, located at 8a Oje Imeviani Street, Julie Estate, Oregun, Ikeja, Lagos, is also noted for its tech-enabled structure that allows users to access solutions from anywhere in Nigeria through its online platform.

Customers can reach MENXTT Technology NG via email: info@menxtt.com.ng or website: menxtt.ng.


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MTN, MTV Base Launch “Room of Safety” Series to Promote Online Child Safety

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Telecoms giant MTN Group has partnered with MTV Base to launch the Room of Safety campaign, a youth-led movement aimed at raising awareness on internet safety and digital wellbeing for children and young people across Africa.

The initiative, a major part of MTN’s Help Children Be Children campaign, seeks to address growing concerns around cyberbullying, grooming, misinformation, and other forms of online harm. Through this collaboration, MTN will leverage MTV Base’s extensive reach across youth audiences to drive impactful change.

Central to the campaign is the premiere of a 10-part short-form docu-series titled Room of Safety, which kicks off on July 20, 2025, at 16:00 on MTV Base (DStv channel 322). Episodes will also stream on MTV Base South’s digital platforms including Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok.

Each episode will feature real-life stories, expert interviews, and practical resources to help young viewers identify digital threats and take proactive steps. The series also encourages youth to speak up about negative experiences online and shows them how to report abuse.

A statement from MTN Group emphasized the importance of equipping young Africans with the knowledge and confidence to navigate digital spaces safely, adding that the campaign aims to normalize conversations around digital ethics and mental health within families, schools and peer groups.

The launch is backed by social media engagement and outreach activities targeted at schools, creators, and community organizations across multiple African countries.


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