Telecom
NCC Urges to Students to Report Telcos who Fail to Address their Problems
Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC) has advised students to always report network providers who refused to address their problems to the commission.

Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, Executive Vice Chairman/CEO, NCC
Efosa Idehen, director, Consumer Affairs Bureau of NCC, advised the students at the weekend at Nsukka, Enugu State.
Ideen spoke during the third edition of the Telecom Campus Conversation at the University of Nigeria Nsukka.
The conversation was themed: “Telecom Consumer Rights Awareness: The Role of Students.”
Idehen said the aim of the campus conversation was to educate students who were important consumers of telecommunication services on their rights and how to resolve problems with their network providers.
He said: “Subscribers of network providers are kings in telecommunication industry since without them there will neither be network providers nor NCC.
“Problem of subscribers is that most times they do not know how to go about issues they have with their network subscribers.”
The Director explained to students some of the ways to resolve network problems either with their network providers or with NCC.
He said: “It is your right that any problem you have as a consumer must be resolved with your network provider.
“But if you tried and your network could not solve your problem, call 622, NCC toll free line and report such problem.
“NCC will immediately get in touch with the affected network provider to know why it has refused to resolve your problem.
“NCC may fine such provider if the commission discovers that the provider deliberately ignored the subscriber’s complain.
“Some subscribers complain of their providers bombarding them with unsolicited messages without knowing that when they sent STOP to 2442 to their provider such unsolicited messages will stop.”
According to Idehen, subscribers are expected to call 112 toll free line in case of any emergency to get help from security agencies in the country.
In her remarks, Mistura Aruna, head, Consumer Information and Education Unit, NCC, said the Forum was one of the various consumer-center initiatives of NCC targeted at creating awareness for students of tertiary institution on their rights and obligations as telecom consumers.
Aruna said: “One of the aims of this initiative is to sensitise students on several measures which have been put in place for the purpose of consumer protection and empowerment.
“UNN is selected by the commission for the third edition of the programme because it is the first indigenous and autonomous university in Nigeria.
“The university’s motto: ‘To Restore the Dignity of Man,’ adequately reflects the mind of the commission as consumer protection, information and education is pivotal on the commission’s mandate.”
In a message to the event, Prof Charles Igwe, the Vice Chancellor of the UNN, represented by Prof. Eze Okonkwo, the Dean of Post-Graduate Studies, commended the commission for choosing the university for the programme.
Speaking on behalf of the students, Stephen Ani, the Student Union President of the UNN, thanked the NCC for choosing the university for the third edition of the campus conversation.
Ani said: “It’s my hope that NCC presence in UNN will help improve some network challenges the students are facing as well as help resolve their problems with their various network providers.”
NCC used the occasion to educate students on consumer protection, SIM registration, SIM-NIN linkage, cyber-security as well as how to be safe online by avoiding any internet fraud, among other things.
Telecom
Telcos Threaten to Disconnect Banks over Misinformation on New USSD Charges

Telecommunication companies have threatened to withdraw their Unstructured Supplementary Services Data (USSD), services from banks over what they called misinformation.
MTN Nigeria, Airtel, Globacom and 9Mobile- the telcos disclosed that the banks’ notice to their customers on the new billing system and airtime deductions for USSD services was misleading.
Also, Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) also denied that the directive was from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
USSD is done via shortcodes on mobile phones and allows bank customers to make transactions in places with limited or no internet service.
Recall that banks earlier this week claimed that NCC has directed them to begin charging them from their airtime rather than from customers’ accounts.
The notice from the banks read in part: “In line with the directive of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), please be informed that effective June 3, 2025, charges for USSD banking services will no longer be deducted from your bank account.
“Going forward, these charges will be deducted directly from your mobile airtime balance in accordance with the NCC’s End-User Billing (EUB) model.
“Under this new billing structure, each USSD session will attract a charge of ?6.98 per 120 seconds, which will be billed by your mobile network operator.
“You will receive a consent prompt at the start of each session, and airtime will only be deducted upon your confirmation and availability of the bank to fulfil this service.
“If you do not wish to continue using USSD banking under this new model, you may choose to discontinue use of the USSD channel.”
Reacting, ALTON, umbrella body of telecom operators in Nigeria, said the banks’ notice is a gross misinformation deliberately hatched to suit their selfish interests.
Hence they threatened to withdraw network support to the banks’ USSD services.
Engr Gbenga Adebayo, chairman of ALTON told Vanguard: ” I don’t understand why the banks are twisting agreements and distorting information just to favour their selfish interests. In the first place, the information wasn’t a directive from the NCC but a joint regulatory agreement between the NCC and the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN witnessed by the telcos and the banks. The agreement was that if the banks finally cleared all USSD debts owed to the telcos by June 2, 2025, they are free to migrate to the end-user billing method, so long as the model of migration is transparent and agreed upon by the telcos.
“The reason for that clause was because the telcos insisted that the process of migration is such that will not allow a customer to be billed twice; in other words, that a subscriber would not have his airtime deducted and also have his or her money deducted for same services from his or her bank account.
” As we speak, some of the banks have cleared their debts, but the majority are yet to do so. So, even if all the modalities of migrating to end-user billing have been perfectly carried out, the implementation cannot even begin because the banks are yet to clear the USSD debt owed to the telcos.
“Our position now is that if that is the way the banks want to treat the agreement, we may withdraw support for their USSD services. It is not a must-have. They can do without it. But, they should clear the debts as agreed,” he added.
Telecom
MTN Nigeria Plans N900Bn in Service Upgrade

MTN Nigeria has announced plans to embark on a massive capital expenditure (CAPEX) drive in 2025, committing nearly N900 billion to significantly enhance network service quality across Nigeria.

Dr. Karl Toriola, CEO, MTN Nigeria,
The substantial investment, more than double the combined CAPEX of approximately N440 billion spent in 2023 and 2024, underscored MTN’s aggressive strategy to address persistent service quality issues and meet growing customer and regulatory expectations.
Dr. Karl Toriola, CEO, MTN Nigeria, detailed this unprecedented financial commitment during a recent interview on Arise TV, emphasizing that improving service quality is the company’s paramount message for the year.
He highlighted a clear understanding and expectation from both the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and security agencies for improved network quality.
A primary focus of this increased CAPEX will be on putting additional capacity in a city like Lagos, particularly in Abuja, where you have a lot of buildings coming up, you need additional sites because there are coverage issues.
Beyond these critical urban centers, the investment aims to bolster network resilience and ensure power stability for its infrastructure nationwide.
This includes proactively addressing site outages by ensuring timely payment for operational necessities such as diesel for generators, a persistent challenge in the Nigerian operating environment.
Toriola outlined a comprehensive upgrade process, which involves placing orders formally, opening letters of credit, and then the equipment gets shipped in and installed.
He added that MTN will be acquiring new sites and laying fiber to the base station to create better stability” where necessary.
While the immediate CAPEX is geared towards improving existing service quality and capacity, this investment aligns with MTN’s broader goals of enhancing financial inclusion in underserved rural areas, suggesting a long-term vision for network expansion and service improvement that extends beyond metropolitan areas.
Subscribers can anticipate tangible improvements in service quality, with a significant improvement in quality of service expected by the end of the second quarter or early in the third quarter of 2025, according to Toriola.
“This year is all going to be about capital expenditure on an aggressive basis to fix quality of service issues (and) meet both the regulators’ and the public’s expectations,” he affirmed, reiterating MTN’s steadfast focus on customer experience through substantial capital investment.
Telecom
Telecom Regulators in Africa Chart New Course for a Data-driven Future

Telecom regulators and industry leaders from across the Middle East and Africa gathered in Cairo last week to chart a data-driven future for the region.
In a region where digital transformation is accelerating at unprecedented speed, connectivity intelligence firm, Ookla and Egypt’s National Telecom Regulatory Authority (NTRA) joined forces to organise the Telecommunications Regulatory Summit
Themed ‘Harnessing Data and Technology for Superior QoS’, the summit focused on how data, particularly crowdsourced insights, can transform regulatory strategies across the region.
The summit attracted stakeholders from over 30 countries, including delegates from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and World Broadband Association (WBBA), who engaged in high-level discussions on optimising network performance and accelerating digital inclusion.
Karim Yaici, lead industry analyst for the Middle East and Africa at Ookla, said the event set the tone for the growing value of data-driven decision-making.
“Access to and the use of crowdsourced data contribute to making more informed decisions, fostering transparency and ensuring that citizens in the MEA region benefit from high-quality, accessible and affordable connectivity,” he said.
The experts underlined that crowdsourced data is becoming a critical complement to traditional regulatory methods.
They agreed that it helps identify service gaps, prioritise infrastructure investments, and drive innovation.
With broadband speeds now closely tied to GDP growth and productivity, accurate performance data is seen as key to socio-economic advancement.
Dr. Hossam Abdel-Mawla, vice-president of technical affairs and quality of service at NTRA, stressed that the summit was pivotal in fostering regional collaboration.
“By actively sharing best practices and exploring innovative data-driven strategies, we are shaping a future where telecom regulations ensure digital inclusion and economic growth across the region,” he said.
In a key session, Ahmed Nabawy, director of client services at Ookla, presented findings on 5G performance in Egypt and Tunisia.
He demonstrated how Ookla’s unified data platform, powered by AI, enables operators to analyse 5G-capable device density and prioritise high-impact rollout areas.
The summit also explored the shift from conventional network quality metrics to more user-centric Quality of Experience models. These advanced analytics tools promise to enhance transparency, improve accountability, and ultimately deliver better connectivity experiences for all.
- E-Business3 days ago
NIMC Plans to Register 95 Percent Nigerians by December
- News3 days ago
JAMB Waxes Worriedly over Rising Digital Exam Fraud
- Telecom3 days ago
9mobile Nigeria Inks Agreement to Roam with MTN
- Telecom3 days ago
IHS Nigeria Moves to Enhance G4S Secure Solutions Site Patrols and Increase Operational Efficiency with Patrol Vehicles
- E-Business2 days ago
AXIAN Telecom Invests in Jumia Post-MTN Era
- Telecom3 days ago
Banks, Telcos to Start Deducting USSD Charges from Airtime Today
- E-Financial2 days ago
UBA Compiles with NCC, to Deduct USSD from Customers’ Accounts
- E-Financial3 days ago
Fitch Upgrades Fidelity Bank’s National Rating to ‘A+(nga)’, Affirms Long-Term IDR at ‘B’