Telecom
Worrying Abuse of Telecom Consumers in Nigeria
Consumer advocacy is very low in Nigeria to the extent that consumers do not appropriate their rights in most cases.
Apart from enduring substandard services, subscribers have also been groaning under the weight of excessive and unapproved charges.
The efforts of Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Consumer Protection Council (CPC), appear to have yielded little as there are still persistent complaints about poor customer service of all the GSM providers in the country.
Even the recent proliferation of independent consumer advocates, has served little or no use because their ranks have been broken by services providers with huge financial war chests.
They now see consumer advocacy as mere platitudes.
It is safe to say that the telecom industry typifies the lack of vocal unity of the Nigerian consumer.
This has to change. Consumer advocacy must begin to stand besides the consumer and speak out on his behalf to protect and promote his rights and interests.
As Nigerians become increasingly dependent on telecommunications services; a strong advocate is needed to represent the people when telecoms decisions are made.
Today, most Nigerians are vulnerable and open to abuses by services providers because of illiteracy, lack of language skills, or disability.
In combination with low income and lack of access to telephones, Internet or transportation, these barriers deprive many vulnerable consumers of fair treatment.
Like most countries, Nigeria has laws to protect consumers against dangerous or faulty workmanship, deceitful sales practices, and misleading advertising but in practice, they are rarely enforced.
The CPC, Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) are agencies responsible for protecting consumers.
But they are typical bureaucracies and lack actionable programmes that will endear consumers to them.
In this industry, the excesses of service providers are unchecked. They abuse market power and infringe on the rights and privileges of the consumers.
Consumers privacies are invaded at will. Poor services; dropped calls; charges for uncompleted calls have persisted and no answers are given.
But Nigerians must sit and watch; they must stand up for themselves.
Time is now for a stronger voice to remedy the injustices in the market place and teach consumers to stand up for themselves.
The voice must first tackle the prevalent consumer apathy and enlist the support of other stakeholders to be effective.
Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) and indeed the federal government must also encourage citizen’s advocacy.
This so-called stronger voice must tell Nigerians of the resources available to help them.
Additionally, consumer protection agencies must be strengthened to provide all the advice and assistance needed by consumers.
Importantly, the federal government must ensure appropriate share of legal aid to support of vulnerable consumers facing consumer protection issues.
Telecom
Celebrating African Creativity: Made by Africa, Loved by the World’ Returns for Its Fifth Year
The “Made by Africa, Loved by the World” campaign is back for its fifth year, celebrating African creativity and global influence. This year’s theme, “Where Culture Meets Connection,” highlights how social media fosters conversations around cultural moments worldwide.
The campaign features three cinematic films premiering on the Meta Africa page, showcasing the groundbreaking work and personal stories of six dynamic African creatives.
These artists, from Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, and South Africa, represent diverse disciplines, including rap, animation, dance, photography, fashion, and videography.
Here are some of the featured talents:
- Ladipoe (Nigeria) – A BET-nominated rapper known for blending global hip-hop with African rhythms.
- Fatboy Animations (Kenya) – An animation studio founded by Michael Muthiga, recognized by Forbes for its original African storytelling.
- Lisa Quama (Ghana) – A dancer who gained fame after appearing in Beyoncé’s “Already” music video.
- Gilbert Asante (Ghana) – A photographer and creative director featured in GQ and Glam Africa.
- David Tlale (South Africa) – A fashion designer whose bold designs have been showcased at major fashion events, including the Met Gala.
- Ofentse Mwase (South Africa) – A filmmaker with over 24 international awards for his unique visual storytelling.
Kezia Anim-Addo, Communications Director for Africa, Middle East & Turkey, emphasized that the campaign not only celebrates individual success stories but also showcases how culture and social media drive meaningful connections and inspiration.
Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), has raised the alarm over a diesel supply crisis caused by an ongoing strike by the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG).
Mr Tony Emoekpere, president, ATCON in a statement said that the fuel supply disruption is critically affecting telecom base stations, pushing them to the brink of a shutdown and threatening millions of mobile and internet users in the region.
“This strike, which stems from the persistent harassment of tanker and petroleum product drivers by police officers in Lagos State, has effectively halted all truck loading operations and fuel movements,” Emoekpere stated.
He explained that diesel supply to telecom infrastructure has been severely impacted, leaving critical sites with dangerously low fuel levels.
According to him, if urgent measures are not taken, the situation could escalate into a full-blown network blackout, disrupting essential services, including mobile and internet access, business operations, emergency response systems, and daily communications.
ATCON has called on the governors of Lagos and Ogun states to intervene immediately by facilitating the release of diesel from depots to telecom operators to prevent further deterioration of the situation.
“This is not just a telecom issue—it is a national emergency that could cripple economic activities and compromise public safety,” Emoekpere stressed.
The association also appealed to security agencies and petroleum unions to resolve the crisis swiftly to safeguard Nigeria’s connectivity and economic stability.
ATCON emphasised that a prolonged disruption in fuel supply to telecom infrastructure could have far-reaching consequences for both businesses and individuals who rely on stable communication networks for daily operations.
In 2023, Nigerians spent a total of about ₦5.3 trillion on telecommunications services, which includes calls, data, SMS, and other telecom services, according to the Leadership.
Specifically for voice calls, Nigerians made approximately 408.5 billion minutes of local calls, generating around ₦3.28 trillion from outgoing calls and ₦3.23 trillion from incoming calls, totaling about ₦6.51 trillion in call-related revenue according to projections based on 2023 call volumes and tariff data.
However, the ₦5.3 trillion figure represents the overall telecom sector revenue, with voice calls being a major component but also including data and other services.
For individual spending, MTN subscribers spent an average of ₦2,508 monthly on voice calls in 2023, showing a 14.4% increase from 2022, while Airtel customers spent about ₦1,694 monthly on voice calls.
Total telecom spending (calls, data, SMS, etc.): ₦5.3 trillion in 2023
Estimated revenue from voice calls alone: around ₦6.5 trillion based on call minutes and tariffs
Average monthly spending on calls per subscriber: ₦1,694 to ₦2,508 depending on the network
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