NCC Plans Regulations on eWaste

Prof. Umar Danbatta, executive vice chairman of the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC), has said the commission is concluding processes to issue regulations on electronic waste.

Danbatta, who stated this during a press conference to commemorate the World Consumer Rights Day 2021 themed ‘Tackling plastic pollution’ in Abuja on Monday, said this was due to plastic components many ICT and telecom devices possessed which could worsen plastic pollution.

He said the commission was worried by the recurrent cycle of fraudulent deployment of fake and substandard mobile devices, usually made of iron and plastic components.

The EVC noted that the commission had for this reason collaborated with the Office of the National Security Adviser and other relevant government agencies to inaugurate a committee to implement Mobile Devices Management Systems.

He said, “This initiative is designed as a Public-Private Partnership aimed at combating the proliferation of fake, counterfeit, substandard and cloned communication devices in the telecommunications industry.

“The expected result of this initiative is that only genuine materials malleable to enduring usage are available for consumer use.”

He added that the commission also implemented a strict type-approval process that ensured all equipment used in the telecom industry were of a suitable standard, for the good of the consumers and the preservation of our environment.