Telecom
NCC Asks GSM Customers to Use 622 Toll-Free-Line for Complaints
Nigerian Communication Commissions (NCC) has urged customers of telecommunication operators to lodge their complaints of unsatisfactory services through its 622 Toll-Free-Line.
Prof. Umar Danbatta, executive vice chairman of the commission, said this at the 95th Edition of Consumers Outreach Programme in Dutse last week.
Danbatta, who was represented by Felicia Onwuegbuchulam, director, Consumers Affairs Bureau of the commission, said that the commission was disturbed with the various complaints from customers.
The complaints include unsolicited text messages and calls, failure/refusal to roll over unused data services at the expiration of data bundled by service providers.
Others are automatic renewal of data services upon expiration and activation, subscription to data and Value Added Services without the consent of subscribers.
He said: “It is in response to these complaints that the commission as a proactive institution has taken appropriate steps to address the issues raised.’’
The NCC boss, said that the commission had issued directive to service providers to desist from forceful subscription of data services and VAS unless they got the consent of the customers.
He said: “It is on this note that we develop 622 Toll-Free-Line for customers to lodges any unresolved complaints to us between them and their providers.’’
He said that failure to comply with the directive by any telecom provider would attract penalties by the commission.
He said: “This is because we believe that a consumer is a king and as such he needs some basic rights and privileges like the right to be heard, right to be educated, right to choose, right to redress as well as right to safety.”
Danbatta said that the Consumers Outreach Forum was an initiative of NCC to bring together telecom consumers in urban areas with network operators and regulators to discuss and offer solutions to consumer’s related issues.
He said: “This is to ensure consumers have value for their money through effective service delivery.’’
Governor Muhammad Badaru of Jigawa, who was represented by his Alhaji Ibrahim Hadejia, deputy, decried of the fluctuating nature of services by network providers.
Hadejia said that people had to climb mountains or go near network masts before they could make calls or send messages.
He urged the telecom providers to provide free network sites or provide some services at subsidised rates for e-learning as obtained in advanced society.
While commending the NCC for the tripartite meeting between consumers, telecomm operators and regulator, he urged telecom operators to build good networks for optimum advantage and utilisation for political, economic and social benefit of the customers.
Kenya is celebrating its regulatory ecosystem being ranked as the most progressive in Africa. The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) has ranked the East African country first in its most recent ICT Regulatory Tracker.
ITU’s ICT Regulatory Tracker is an evidence-gathering tool for decision-makers and regulators. It demonstrates the effectiveness of regulatory systems in the age of technology.
The ITU evaluates the design of the national regulatory authority, the scope of the regulatory mandate, the obtaining regulatory environment, and the robustness of the competition framework in member countries.
Kenya received 93 points, up from 92 in 2023, and now leads the continent in best practices for ICT regulations.
Nigeria and South Africa finished second and third, with 92 and 88 points respectively. Malawi, Egypt, Rwanda, Morocco, Uganda, Burkina Faso, and Senegal complete the top 10 list.
Globally, Kenya was ranked 20th out of 194 countries covered.Italy led the rankings, with 100 points.
The regulator, Communications Authority (CA) of Kenya, said the achievement underscored Kenya’s commitment to creating a robust, technology-neutral regulatory environment that supports innovation, affordability and access.
Steve Isaboke, permanent secretary for broadcasting and telecommunications, visited CA Centre in Nairobi following the announcement on Thursday.
“The ranking is a clear testament of the excellent work that CA has done in spearheading Kenya’s digital transformation and driving digital access for all,” he said.
“After 25 years, CA’s regulatory regime has attained maturity, and gained global recognition. This ranking shows that the CA staff and leadership are executing their work diligently.”
MTN Nigeria Communications PLC has announced a significant increase in female representation within its leadership, with women now making up 41.4% of its workforce, a notable rise from 38.7% in 2023.
This figure reportedly doubles the industry average, positioning MTN Nigeria as a frontrunner in gender diversity within Nigeria’s ICT sector.
The company’s recently released 2024 Annual Report highlights its sustained commitment to workplace inclusion and gender equality, aligning with its “Ambition 2025” strategy. Female representation within the executive management team has reached approximately 46.7%.
MTN Nigeria attributes this progress to dedicated initiatives aimed at empowering women professionally. These include the “Women in Tech” programme, which provides targeted upskilling in high-demand fields such as Cloud Computing, Software Engineering, AI/ML, Data Science, and Cyber Security.
The “MTN Y’ello Mums Internship Programme” also supports young mothers in their transition back into the corporate world after career breaks.
Odunayo Sanya, executive director of the MTN Foundation, was recognised as the CSI Personality of the Year at the Nigeria Tech Innovation & Telecoms Awards (NTITA), further underscoring the company’s impactful social initiatives.
Additionally, Uto Ukpanah, the company secretary, received the inaugural Global Corporate Secretary of the Year Award from the Corporate Secretaries International Association (CSIA).
Speaking at a recent conference, Odunayo Sanya, emphasised the importance of balancing profitability and sustainability equation, saying, “Businesses today need to be purpose-driven. While the soul of business is profitability, it is not profitability alone that should matter to stakeholders.”
Uto Ukpanah, added, “Showcasing our corporate values and ethos to the world opens the door for greater collaboration with other organisations, as we believe there’s a lot to learn when we all come together. Governance continues to evolve. The challenges today are not the same as they were 10 years ago. Greater accountability is expected, and companies can only continue to do better.”
The company’s broader efforts in diversity and inclusion have been acknowledged with multiple accolades, including the Corporate Responsibility Award. MTN Nigeria also received the “Employer of the Year” award at the 4th Edition of the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) Employers’ Excellence Awards.
Karl Toriola, CEO of MTN Nigeria, in the report, reiterated the company’s commitment to building a purpose-driven organisation, emphasising that its success is intrinsically linked to its people and their dedication to a shared vision.
“Since we initiated our culture transformation journey in 2021, our culture transformation has significantly enhanced employee engagement and organisational cohesion. It’s directly strengthened our ability to deliver outstanding business performance and drive sustainable long-term value for all our stakeholders.”
To help users better understand how the For You feed works, TikTok is also rolling out a comprehensive educational guide. This resource will equip users with practical tips and tools to effectively understand and personalise their feeds in one convenient place.
The guide will include features that show why content was recommended, and educational videos that have received over 180 million views around the world. The new updates are eligible for both teen and adult accounts, building on tools and safeguards that help people have a great For You feed experience. These include:
- Applying strict For You feed eligibility standards to restrict content that isn’t appropriate for a general audience from recommendation in For You feeds and working to prevent content with mature or complex themes from reaching teens through Content Levels.
- Offering additional For You feed tools to help people refresh their For You feed, indicate they’re “not interested” in a video or turn on Restricted Mode to further limit content that may not be comfortable for broad audiences.
- Taking steps to interrupt frequent recommendations of some types of content that may be problematic if seen too often.
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