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The Need for Operators to Expand Call Centres

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Telecommunications sector of the country economy has witnessed over the past nine years tremendous growth in different sphere, aside growth in number of Nigerians who now have access to communications tool known as telephone, service delivery has also recorded growth.
What use to be the traditional services that both code division multiple access (CDMA) and Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) started with which is voice has been expanded to include such as services as internet, video among others. All these are made possible by technological upgrade embarked upon by operators in the industry.
The nature of services delivery by telecommunications operators whether voice or data is a system that allows service providers to install or set up telecommunications equipment at a particular location far from its operational base and deliver services to people within that coverage area.
What this means is that a telephone or Internet service provider that is based in Lagos with its main transmission equipment installed in Lagos can deliver services to such locations as in Sokoto or Uyo by simply installing another transmission equipment and transceiver station that will transmit calls from the sundry locations to the main switching centre probably in Lagos.
Subscribers to the service in Sokoto 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 rises is how can these subscribers located far from the operational base of the operator reach out to the operator to resolve issues arising from service delivery? Such issues as recharging of phones, where recharge card numbers have been scratched off, Sim card issues among others. These issues are addressed through telephone contact to the operators’ call centre located mostly at operator’s operational base.
A call centre is a centralized office or building used for the purpose of receiving and transmitting a large volume of request by telephone. A call centre is operated by a company to administer incoming product support or information inquires from consumers. Outgoing calls for telemarketing, clientele, product services, and debt collection are also made through a call centre. In addition, a call centre also receives fax, live chat, e-mail among others.
A call centre is often operated through an extensive open work stations that includes a computer for each agent, a telephone set/headset connected to a telecom switch, and one or more supervisor stations. It can be independently operated or networked with additional centres, often linked to a corporate computer network.
Increasingly, the voice and data pathways into the centre are linked through a set of new technologies called computer telephony integration (CTI).
Most major businesses use call centres to interact with their customers. Examples include utility companies, mail order catalog retailers, and customer support for computer hardware and software. Some businesses even service internal functions through call centre. Examples of this include help desk such as the ones banks have open to address issues arising from Automated Teller Machine transactions, and sale support.
Call centres are different from customer care, as the later refers to an office designated for physical resolution of issues associated with service provision. Call centres technology is subject to improvements and innovations. Some of these technologies include speech recognition and speech synthesis software that allows computers to handle first level of customer support, text mining and natural language processing to allow better customer handling, agent training by automatic mining best practices from past interactions, and many other technologies to improve agent productivity and customer satisfaction. Automatic lead selection or lead steering is also intended to improve efficiency both for inbound and outbound campaigns, whereby inbound calls are intended to quickly land with the appropriate agent to handle the task, while minimizing wait times and long list of irrelevant options for people calling in, as well as for outbound calls, where lead selection allows management to designate what type of leads go to which agent based on factors including skill, socio-economic factors and past performance. The concept of the Universal Queue standardizes the processing of communications across multiple technologies such as fax, phone and email.
Few years ago some telecommunications service providers advertised non-existent call centre numbers and this was quickly addressed by Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). But today, the issue is no longer none existence of call centre numbers, but inadequate facilities at call centres to be able to take inquires and respond to such inquires even as services being delivered by operators especially GSM and CDMA operators have expanded. For instance, at inception these operators were providing basically voice service as technology has converged voice and data services which position them to expand their service offering to data and internet. To this end, as services are expanded so are issues arising from services increases thereby requiring operators to expand their call centres for effective service delivery. When operators rolled out service in 2002 they were rendering basically voice service, but with advancement in technology which now enables they to delivery internet and video, so is the need for them to expand both customer care centres and call centres to effectively handle issues from the expanded service offerings.
 The inability of telecommunications service providers to address issues associated with their service through contact centers led to NCC providing its own contact centres that will interface with subscribers and operators. Mrs. Lolia Emakporie, director, Consumer Affairs, Nigerian Communications Commission NCC said that the establishment of contact centre by the commission has became necessary in view of several complaint by telecom consumers of luster attitude of service providers in addressing subscribers complaint about their service. She added that calls to NCC contact center is toll-free and on 0800CALLNCC, with multi-lingual dedicated agents in English, Pidgin, Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba languages. The contact centre is to be operated on behalf of the commission by Interra Networks that will handle phone calls and emails from the 43 million and growing subscriber base on range of issues, but will be primary focused on resolving any dispute between the consumer and their service providers. The NCC will use Interras Business process Outsourcing (BPO) services to get ‘closer’ to the Nigerian consumer.
Through their outsourcing service provider, Apherion Outsourcing, Interra provides a host of BPO services which include Contact centre services, document management services, human Resource management and payroll Processing and Data Entry and Processing.
Service providers’ call centres have experienced changes since 2002, then GSM operators were running the centres by themselves and provided enough staff  to take calls though then subscribers were not as it is today. Then, callers to these centres were meant to talk to human beings and did not wait for a long time before they are answered. As subscribers of the operators increases the number of calls coming to their contact centres increased, and they found out that operating the call centres requires huge investment in  human resource and in an attempt to operate a cost effective call centre, as well as to reduce what they classified as hoax calls which are calls not made to the centre without presenting a problem but rather seeking interaction with the lady recipient as the case may be, that some operators introduced Interactive Voice Response system at their call centres. Interactive voice response (IVR) is a technology that allows a computer to detect voice and keypad inputs. IVR system can respond with pre-recorded or dynamically generated audio to further direct users on how to proceed. IVR system can be used to control almost any function where the interface can be broken down into a series of simple menu choices.
It has become more common in industries that have recently entered the telecom industry to refer to an automated attendant as an IVR. This means that when discussing an IVR application, it is important to ensure that the person you are talking to understand the term to mean the same thing as you do. Generally-speaking, those with a traditional telecom background are more likely to refer to an Automated Attendant and IVR as separate things, whereas those from an emerging telephony or VoIP background are more likely to use the term IVR to define any kind of telephony menu, even the most basic Automated Attendant. Call centres use IVR system to identify and segment callers. The ability to identify customers allows the ability to tailor services according to profile. It also allows the option of choosing automated services. Information can be fed to the caller allowing choices such as: wait in the queue, choose an automated service, or   request a callback. The use of computer telephone integration (CTI) allows the IVR system to look up the Calling Line ID (CLI) on a network database and identify the caller. This is currently accurate for about 80% of inbound calls. In the cases where CLI is withheld or unavailable, the caller can be asked to identify themselves by other methods such as a PIN or password. The use of DNIS will ensure that the correct application and language is executed by the IVR system. IVR is often criticized as being unhelpful and difficult to use due to poor design and lack of appreciation of the caller’s needs. Some callers object to providing voice response to an automated system and prefer speaking with a human respondent.
A properly designed IVR application should provide the caller’s needs promptly and with a minimum of complexity.
It is against this backdrop that telecom subscribers in the country are agitating to the use of IVR as they are expecting human beings to attend to them and not machines.
In view of all these challenges, arises the question of how telecommunications services providers can improve on the efficiency of their call centre in order to meet both NCC standard as well as the increasing needs of their subscribers?
To this end, what readily comes to mind is outsourcing of the service to a different company other than the operator to enable them face their core function of service delivery. The way such arrangement is design enables the outsourced company to generate complaints either on hour basis to technical section as the case may be of the operator to ensure that such complaints are resolved at the shortest possible time.
This initiative has been adopted by MTN and Zain while GloMobile is on the process of adopting the initiative.
Industry watchers that spoke to Nigeria CommunicationsWeek are of the view that outsourcing is a good initiative as well as the use of IVR. But advise that subscriber be allowed the option of either talking to human being which may attract extra cost or machine at no cost. They say explained that in view of the literate level in our society such option is evitable especially when those that are not well educated call to the centres.

 


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MTN Urges Nigerian to Regards Telecom Infrastructure as National Assets

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Ikenna Ikeme, general manager of Regulatory Affairs at MTN Nigeria, has called on citizens and authorities to regard telecommunications infrastructure as vital national assets rather than merely the property of telecom providers.

MTN Urges Nigerian to Regards Telecom Infrastructure as National Assets

Ikeme made these remarks while sharing his perspective as a member of the telecommunications industry and his experience in the regulatory field with participants of the MTN Media Innovation Programme in Lagos.

Highlighting the urgency, Ikeme stated that network infrastructure is often targeted during disputes with telecom companies, leading to deliberate acts of vandalism or service disruptions.

He stressed that such critical assets deserve the same level of protection as any essential national facility, arguing, “You cannot destroy national infrastructure or shut it down whenever there is a grievance.

With the protection of the government, the current administration has declared telecommunications infrastructure as critical national infrastructure, deserving of this level of security. “

Ikeme expressed optimism that this development would reduce destructive incidents and foster a more stable environment for telecommunications services.

Looking ahead, Ikeme reaffirmed MTN’s commitment to long-term investment in Nigeria, stating that, ‘we intend to remain, to grow, and to keep contributing positively to the nation’s development.’

In closing, Ikeme touched on the evolving landscape of telecommunications in Nigeria, noting the importance of media support in promoting constructive narratives.


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Bitget Launches $6M Global Crypto Trading Contest with New Competitive Segments

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Bitget, a cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 company, has launched its annual global trading competition with a total prize pool of six million USDT.

In a statement made available to our correspondent on Sunday, the company disclosed that the contest includes new segments such as team battles, bot trading, copy trading, and on-chain trading. Participants from over 100 countries are expected to join the competition.

According to Bitget Chief Executive Officer Gracy Chen, the event is designed to promote community participation and trading activity across multiple formats. She said the competition will include region-based leaderboards, early registration rewards, and opportunities for top traders.

Chen said, “Every year during KCGI we witness traders across the globe strategise, synchronise, and innovate. There’s a lot of community and teamwork involved; KCGI is our way of showing gratitude to our top traders. That said, we’re excited to kick off this year’s competition with six million USDT up for grabs and a range of dynamic challenges ahead. We’re inviting our community to lead, win, and shape the future of trading.”

She noted that participants may get rewards beyond trading performance, including access to LALIGA matchdays, MotoGP passes, and other non-cash prizes.

The competition introduces four main categories: Team Battle, Copy Trading Showdown, Bot Trading Competition, and On-chain Arena. Each category focuses on a different aspect of digital asset trading and strategy execution.

“The official Team Battle segment begins July 24, but the smart money moves early. Traders who register now not only secure their seat, but they also set the tone for the event. Get in early. Build your team. Shape the leaderboard. KCGI 2025: This isn’t just trading; it’s a full-on battle with rewards.” She said.


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Operators Seek Action Over Persistent Vandalization of Telecommunications Infrastructure Across Nigeria

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The Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) has expressed deep concern over the increasing wave of vandalization and theft of telecommunications infrastructure across the country.

According to a statement signed by Engr. Gbenga Adebayo, chairman, ALTON, “since the Federal Government’s decisive interventions earlier this year to support industry sustainability, our members have committed unprecedented levels of investment in network optimization and capacity upgrades. New systems are being deployed, transmission equipment modernized, power systems overhauled, and thousands of kilometers of fiber optic networks currently being laid and expanded.

“Our industry has not seen this scale of investment in recent years. We are working round the clock to improve the quality of service nationwide and we cannot afford these setbacks.

“Unfortunately, between May and July, 2025, multiple incidents of vandalism were recorded across cell sites in Rivers, Ogun, Osun, Imo, Kogi, Ekiti, Lagos, Federal Capital Territory Abuja and many other states.

“These acts of sabotage have significantly disrupted network services, causing widespread connectivity blackouts leading to degradation of services and severely impacting millions of subscribers”.

He noted that, the affected infrastructure, primarily belong to ALTON members, as well as other network operators and those who depend on operators for connectivity.

He said identified critical components targeted to include; power cables, rectifiers, fiber optic cables, feeder cables, diesel generators, batteries, and solar systems are vandalized and stolen from active sites.

“These are not mere materials, but they are the backbone of our digital economy, security systems, and national communications grid.

“We are alarmed at the frequency, intensity, and geographical spread of these incidents. States such as Delta, Rivers, Cross Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Ogun, Ondo, Edo, Lagos, Kogi, FCT, Kaduna, Niger, Osun, Kwara and Federal Capital Territory, Abuja have recorded the highest number of attacks on telecom infrastructure. These attacks have led to prolonged downtimes, network congestion, widespread blackouts, and degradation of service quality.

The public he said, must be reminded that telecommunications infrastructure is classified as Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) under the National Security framework. This classification is backed by Federal Government Gazette No. 133, Volume 108, dated 17th March 2021. Vandalism, sabotage, or illegal possession of these assets is a serious criminal offense with grave consequences.

ALTON expressed concerned about the rising market for stolen telecom equipment, such as:

– Power Cables, Power rectifiers, which are stolen from base station and sold into open markets

– Batteries which are stolen from base stations and sold for home and office inverters.

– Solar panels that are stripped from telecom sites and resold to unsuspecting households.

– Diesel fuel being siphoned from sites and traded on the grey market.

“We urge the public to be vigilant and refrain from purchasing suspicious items. If you buy stolen telecom equipment, you are not just complicit you are part of the crime.

We appeal to every Nigerian to please join us in the fight against the vandalization of telecom infrastructure.

“These assets serve us all, they enable our banking systems, security infrastructure, emergency response, education, health services, and the very platforms that power daily communication. An attack on telecom infrastructure is an attack on our economy and our security.

“A second, recurring and deeply worrying issue is the widespread damage to underground fiber optic cables caused by road construction and related civil infrastructure projects along major highways and urban roads. These activities have led to significant service outages and financial losses,” he added.

ALTON called on: – the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), the Inspector General of Police, the Director General, Department of State Services (DSS), and the Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC)

to immediately deploy the necessary resources to protect telecommunications infrastructure and prevent a total breakdown of communications across the country.

“We commend the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) for its proactive efforts in safeguarding national telecom infrastructure, particularly through the creation of a dedicated reporting portal.

“This initiative empowers citizens to play an active role in protecting critical assets by reporting incidents of vandalism or suspicious activity via protect@ncc.gov.ng or by dialing 622.

“Such forward-thinking measures are vital to ensuring the resilience and security of our communications network. This is a desperate and urgent hour. The industry cannot fight this battle alone. We need coordinated national action by the security agencies, the government at all levels, regulators, the media, civil society, and the public. Our national security, economic stability, and digital future depend on it,” the statement noted.


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