Telecom
Stop Cheating Subscribers, NCC Warns Operators
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has asked service providers in the industry to desist from act capable of inflicting pains and worries on subscribers in the country.
Specifically, NCC wants operators including MTN, Globacom, Airtel and 9Mobile, among others, to desist from acts that amount to cheating the about 150 million active subscribers in Nigeria via the services rendered.
This call came at the weekend, when the NCC took its Consumer Town Hall Meeting (CTM), the 37th edition, to Epe community, a suburb of Lagos. The theme was “Information and Education as a Catalyst for Consumer Protection.”
Majority of consumers in the area, which attended the meeting, complained bitterly about the poor quality of service in the region, which to them has become a menace and gradually making them lose interest in telecoms services.
The disgruntled subscribers lodged complaints such as data and airtime depletion, unauthorised auto renewal, call drops, unresponsive customer care, illegal deductions and poor quality of service.
Major complaints from MTN subscribers are poor network connections, unauthorized auto renewal and illegal deductions of airtime.
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For Airtel, consumers complained of unauthorized automatic subscription to value-added services without their approval and continuous deduction of airtime for auto-renewal despite opting out.
A Globacom subscriber, Suraju Alao, who spoke in Yoruba, lamented that the service was nothing to write home about in Epe, adding: “they also remove my money without my permission. Thank God for today (weekend) that we can talk and say our mind. Glo needs to change for the better.”
One of the chiefs, who don’t want to be named, complained to The Guardian, at a post event briefing that he suffered airtime depletion from Globacom without making calls or receiving notifications from them as to what the deductions were meant for.
It was the same fate for 9Mobile. A subscriber, who simply gave his name as Omole, complained of data depletion, saying “is a subtle corruption when you have to subscribe to data, your money is taken but you can’t even use the data at all. This is so pathetic.”
In all, the Epe Community wants telecom service to improve greatly in the suburb, with a subtle call on the regulator to do its work as required by the law, “so as to guarantee the money we are spending.”
Though, they appreciated NCC for bringing the town hall meeting to Epe, but appealed to them to stop operators from cheating them.
Three of the operators, including MTN, Airtel and 9Mobile, whose representatives were on ground, appealed to the subscribers, with a promise to address all listed challenges as fast as possible. No Globacom representative was on ground at the event.
Addressing the community, Mrs. Felicia Onwuegbuchulam, director, Consumer Affairs Bureau at the NCC, promised that NCC would look into all the issues raised, appealed to service providers to stop every activities capable of eroding the confidence of telecoms subscribers.
At a post even interview, the NCC director, urged the operators to look into activities, which amount to cheating of subscribers.
Meta may shut down its Facebook and Instagram services in Nigeria in protest against the substantial fines imposed by multiple government agencies.
The tech giant has been ordered to pay nearly $300 million in fines in Africa’s most populous nation, following regulatory demands which Meta described as “unrealistic.”
In July 2024, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), imposed a $220 million fine on Meta for allegedly discriminatory and exploitative practices against Nigerian consumers.
The commission stated that Meta had failed to engage a Data Protection Compliance Organisation and had not submitted a Nigeria Data Protection Regulation audit report for two consecutive years.
Similarly, the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON), demanded $37.5 million over unapproved advertising, while the Nigerian Data Protection Commission (NDPC), announced a $32.8 million fine for an alleged data privacy breach.
Meta challenged the decisions at the Federal High Court in Abuja but was unsuccessful, as the court upheld the fines in a ruling delivered last week.
The court directed the company to comply with payment by the end of June, but Meta has indicated it may not do so, according to the BBC.
“The applicant may be forced to effectively shut down the Facebook and Instagram services in Nigeria in order to mitigate the risk of enforcement measures,” the company stated in court documents.
Responding to the NDPC’s assertion that Meta’s data processing could expose Nigerian users to health and financial risks, the company said the agency had failed to “properly interpret the laws guiding data privacy.”
As the Premier League season enters its final stretch, MTN Nigeria is set to stage simultaneous watch parties in Abuja and Uyo on Sunday, May 4, giving football fans a shared space to experience the highs and lows of matchday.
The events, scheduled for Farm City in Wuse and Pyramid Lounge & Grill in Uyo, are expected to attract large turnouts as MTN continues to deepen its connection with football audiences nationwide.
The line-up for the day includes four Premier League fixtures, culminating in a marquee showdown between Chelsea and Liverpool. Earlier games such as Brentford vs Manchester United, Brighton vs Newcastle, and West Ham vs Tottenham will round out a packed viewing schedule. With top four ambitions, title races, and European dreams on the line, the fixtures promise high-stakes drama and entertainment.
MTN’s EPL watch parties have grown into a recurring highlight for fans who want more than just a screen, they want atmosphere. This weekend’s events will feature expansive screen setups, branded fan zones, and side attractions including live trivia and merchandise giveaways.
For MTN, the activations represent an opportunity to tap into the communal spirit of football, a sport that unites Nigerians across regions and loyalties. The brand’s involvement in football has steadily evolved from sponsorship to full-scale experiences, allowing it to build affinity with youth audiences and sports lovers alike.
In recent years, MTN has emerged as a key driver of fan engagement through its partnership with SuperSport and broader investment in Nigeria’s football ecosystem. These dual-city events reflect that strategy in motion, bringing the Premier League closer to the streets and ensuring fans are not just spectators, but participants in the global game.
With anticipation running high and bragging rights on the line, Sunday’s watch parties are shaping up to be a celebration of sport, identity, and the power of community on and off the pitch.
Telecommunications services disrupted in Kogi State have resumed following a resolution of the dispute between MTN Nigeria and the state government, the Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) has said.
Gbenga Adebayo, chairman of ALTON, told TVC News that the issues that led to the shutdown of telecom masts in the state, primarily affecting MTN, had been addressed, paving the way for service restoration.
TVC News earlier reported that businessmen and women were counting their losses as they suffered the impact of a shut down of telecommunication service in Kogi State
Over the past two weeks, telecoms connectivity had been erratic, with competing brands experiencing glitches, particularly in the Lokoja metropolis.
The State government suspended the operations of some telecom services citing unpaid taxes and fibre-related dues.
The shutdown stemmed from a compliance dispute between MTN and the Kogi State Utility Infrastructure Management and Compliance Agency, which accused the telecom giant of violating operational rules and under-declaring the extent of its optic fibre network coverage in the state.
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